KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has uncovered an illegal settlement turned into vegetable farms by a group of immigrants on a 1.6ha land in Pulau Meranti, Puchong.
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said the area had become a designated vegetable collection checkpoint for wholesalers to buy their vegetables.
He said an inspection found that the illegal settlement had various facilities including a surau, a complete drainage and piping system to water the vegetable farms, generator sets to supply electricity and water catchment ponds.
"The foreigners have been cultivating vegetables in the area for decades and they are believed to be leasing the land from local residents," he said in a press conference at the location today (June 8)
A total of 22 Indonesian and Bangladeshi nationals, aged between 20 and 50, were detained during a raid in the area at 1.30am, he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(4) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
He said action would be taken against those violating Immigration law by allowing illegal immigrants to live on their land under Section 55E of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
"The Immigration Department will carry out continuous operations to track down, arrest, prosecute and deport foreigners, who violate national laws under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passports Act 1966 and the Immigration Regulations 1963 as well as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007," he said. - Bernama
