Friday
10th Jan 2025
Dhivehi Edition
Immigration raid - Photo: Immigration
The Maldives Immigration authorities have reported investigating over 1,000 cases of illegal immigration through the Immigration Watch portal, which was established to receive complaints about unlawful migrants in the country.
According to the data released, a total of 1,061 complaints filed via the portal from its launch to December 2024 have been examined. As of November, 1,017 cases had been submitted, with the majority concerning violations of laws and regulations by migrant workers.
Among the cases investigated were:
- 239 cases related to work visas
- 65 cases involving prostitution
- 41 cases of job escapes
- 14 cases of tourist visa violations
- 12 cases of employee sponsor violations
- 12 cases of visa misuse
- 11 cases of various other offenses
- 10 cases of drug use and trade
Additionally, the investigations revealed eight cases involving public health hazards, seven cases of human trafficking, and seven cases of foreign currency being marketed on the black market.
Immigration officials have described the portal as an essential tool in addressing the issue of illegal migrants in the Maldives. The task force dedicated to this issue conducted numerous operations in the past year, leading to significant progress.
As of December 2024, over 5,000 illegal migrants have been deported, highlighting the effectiveness of the task force's efforts and the Immigration Watch portal in addressing unlawful migration.