Faseeh says Saturday’s Kurangi sweep checked 639 locations, with 254 foreigners taken in for verification

The Homeland Security Ministry questioned 1,344 foreigners on Saturday alone under the third phase of Operation Kurangi, the nationwide effort to identify and collect information on irregular migrant workers, said Immigration Controller Ahmed Faseeh on Saturday evening.

The operation, conducted jointly by the Homeland Security Ministry, Immigration, Police, Economic Ministry, Maldives Red Crescent and MFDA, divided Male' City into 24 zones for checks.

When journalists visited Ghiyasuddin International School, police and Immigration officers were stationed there, continuing to collect information from foreigners.

Faseeh told reporters that 639 locations were searched and 1,344 foreigners were questioned. Of these, 254 individuals were taken in for further verification, and he believes most will be regularised.

He said 80 percent of foreigners living in Male' are now in compliance with regulations, a significant improvement, and assured that Immigration will fully support efforts to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants.

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“Our goal is not to condemn people, but to give them the opportunity to regularise their situation,” Faseeh said.

He added that the operation will soon expand to the atolls. When asked by Sun, Faseeh said the next focus areas would be islands with the highest migrant populations, including Kulhudhuffushi, Addu, Fuvahmulah, Thinadhoo and industrial islands. He did not specify which island would be targeted first.

Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan earlier said around 2,800 foreigners remain unaccounted for in atoll areas and will be repatriated within the next six months.

Saturday’s operation in Male' deployed three teams in the largest zones and two teams in the smaller ones.

In a post on X, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said 98 percent of migrant workers have now been biometrically recorded, including ten fingerprints and clear photographs. He added that the remaining irregular migrants will be traced and deported within six months as part of efforts to find a permanent solution.