Pinoys among 153 illegal immigrants nabbed in Malaysia crackdown

Filipinos were among some 153 illegal immigrants arrested by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Malaysia's state-run Bernama news agency reported.

The Bernama report said the Kuala Lumpur immigration department detained the 153 for "various offenses" under "Ops Bersepadu 6P," a nationwide crackdown on illegals.

Immigration department enforcement division assistant director James Musa Singa was quoted in the report as saying the operation covered Jalan Silang, Jalan Tun H. S. Lee, Jalan Petaling and Central Market.

Among the offenses cited against the immigrants were not having travel documents, overstaying in the country, and possession of fake travel permits, the report said.

Of the 153, 136 were men and 17 were women. The Bernama report said theey were from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.

It was not immediately clear in the report how many Filipinos were among those arrested.

Also arrested during the operation were three employers of illegal immigrants from Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia. The employers were suspected of harboring the immigrants. — LBG, GMA News