9,214 iIlegals, 125 employers detained since January

Phase II of the Ops Bersepadu 6P crackdown which began throughout the country on Jan 21 resulted in the arrest of 9,214 illegal immigrants and 125 employers for harbouring illegal immigrants, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said 1,424 operations had been carried in the crackdown involving various security agencies.

As at April 2, some 13,000 illegals had been deported to their countries of origin, he said when replying to a question from Senator Datuk Chiw Tiang Chai in the Dewan Negara Tuesday.

Wan Junaidi said the cost of sending back the illegal immigrants was borne by their employers, agents who brought them here or their relatives while the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross assisted in the repatriation of illegals classified as refugees held in the crackdown.

Phase II of the operation was launched after the amnesty period for illegals to turn themselves in ended on Dec 31 last year.