GEORGE TOWN: Four Pakistani nationals who had overstayed tried to avoid detection by renting a house in an up-market residential area in Butterworth.
Their ruse was uncovered, however, when the Penang Immigration Department's Enforcement Division inspected the residence during a recent operation.
The quartet believed that the authorities would focus their operations only on regular residential areas or workers' quarters, the department said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (July 24).
"The suspects aged between 30 and 45 were detained on suspicion of overstaying and not possessing valid permits," it said.
According to the post, the four were paying a monthly rental of RM1,200 for the house.
The department said the homeowner will also be investigated and action taken if necessary.
In two separate locations, six Myanmar nationals aged between 25 and 35 years were arrested for not possessing valid permits, the department added.
During the operation, the undocumented migrants tried to flee but were intercepted by the enforcement team, the post read.
The operation involved the Immigration Enforcement Division and the Penang City Council (MBPP) and was conducted at two eateries on Jalan Paya Terubong.
The suspects were detained for suspected offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
