Malaysian immigration authorities have detained 109 foreign nationals, including Bangladeshi citizens, during two separate operations in Ipoh, the capital of Perak state. The detainees comprise 75 men and 34 women, with the men including nationals of Bangladesh.
The raids took place from Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday, targeting an entertainment centre, four massage parlours and a wholesale market in Ipoh. The operations formed part of Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to enforce immigration regulations and identify foreign nationals suspected of violating residency and employment requirements.
Datuk Lokman Effendi Ramli, deputy director-general of operations at the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM), said a total of 66 personnel took part in the operations. The team included officers from the Perak state immigration department, members of the department’s special operations and intelligence divisions based in Putrajaya, and police personnel.
Two operations conducted overnight
The first operation, code-named ‘Op Gegar’, began at 9pm on Saturday. Immigration officers inspected 70 foreign nationals at an entertainment centre and four massage parlours, detaining 34 women. The women were identified as citizens of Thailand and Vietnam, according to the department.
A second operation began at 1.30am on Sunday at a wholesale market in Ipoh. Officers checked the documents and identities of 77 foreign nationals, detaining 75 men. Those detained at the market included citizens of Myanmar, Bangladesh, Laos and Indonesia.
The department said the two operations focused on checking the immigration status and documentation of foreign nationals at the locations visited. Several individuals reportedly attempted to flee during the raids, but officers managed to apprehend those involved.
Immigration violations under investigation
According to Lokman Effendi Ramli, the detainees are suspected of committing various immigration offences. These include failing to possess valid travel documents, remaining in Malaysia after their visas or authorised periods of stay had expired, and misusing permits or passes issued by the authorities.
The alleged offences fall under Malaysia’s Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963. The detainees have been taken to the Perak state immigration department’s office for further legal proceedings.
Five employers have also been issued summonses in connection with the case. They have been instructed to appear before the department’s enforcement division to assist with the investigation.
The allegations remain subject to the relevant legal processes. Detention alone does not establish that an immigration offence has been committed, and the authorities will determine the appropriate action through their investigations and proceedings.
More than 66,000 foreign nationals detained nationwide
The Ipoh raids come amid a wider immigration enforcement campaign across Malaysia. Lokman Effendi Ramli said the immigration department conducted more than 11,000 operations nationwide between 1 January and 25 October 2026.
During that period, officers checked the identities and documentation of approximately 150,000 foreign nationals. More than 66,000 were detained, according to the figures released by the department.
Of those detained, more than 41,000 were apprehended directly through immigration department enforcement operations. A further 24,000-plus were detained or transferred by other law enforcement agencies, intercepted at the country’s entry points or taken into custody through other operations.
The department also reported that more than 45,000 foreign nationals had been repatriated to their respective countries after the necessary legal procedures were completed. Legal proceedings involving others remain ongoing, with the immigration department and relevant authorities continuing to process their cases.
Implications for migrant workers
Malaysia employs foreign workers across a range of industries, making compliance with immigration and work permit requirements an important issue for both employees and employers. Foreign nationals must ensure that their travel documents, visas and work permits remain valid and that their employment arrangements comply with the conditions attached to their authorisation to stay.
Employers also have responsibilities in relation to the documentation and legal status of the foreign nationals they hire. The summonses issued to five employers following the Ipoh operations indicate that the investigation extends beyond the individuals detained.
For Bangladeshi nationals working in Malaysia, the arrests underline the importance of maintaining valid documentation and complying with the conditions of their permits. However, the immigration department has not disclosed the exact number of Bangladeshi citizens detained in Ipoh or provided further details about the individual cases.
The latest figures reflect the scale of Malaysia’s immigration enforcement activities, covering inspections, arrests and repatriations. The outcome of the Ipoh investigation will depend on the evidence gathered and the legal procedures followed by the relevant authorities.
