Expats held for running market stalls set to be deported

All expatriate workers who were caught in a weekend operation by authorities for running market stalls in violation of the country’s laws will be deported, says Mohamed Shamaan Waheed, the Controller General of Immigration.

A joint operation by the Maldives Immigration Service and the police on Saturday targeted expatriates working illegally at the Local Market and other similar markets across the capital, Male’ City.

At least 50 expatriates were taken into custody in the raids.

In a post on X on early Sunday, Shamaan said the operation led to the capture of expatriates found to have been “running businesses without the necessary permits or were engaged in running businesses outside the scope of their permits.”

“They will be deported from the country in accordance with standard procedure,” he said.

“Given that resolving the issue of illegal migration is a pledge made by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, we assure everyone that the Immigration will provide its full support in this endeavor.”

ރާއްޖޭގައި ޤަވާއިދާ ޚިލާފަށް ވިޔަފާރިކުރާ ބިދޭސީން ހޯދުމަށް @ImmigrationMV އިން ފަށާފައިވާ އޮޕަރޭޝަންގައި މިއަދު ވަނީ @PoliceMv އާއެކު ޖޮއިންޓް އޮޕަރޭޝަނެއް ހިންގާ، ގިނަ އަދަދެއްގެ ބިދޭސީން އިމިގްރޭޝަންގެ ބެލުމުގެ ދަށަށް ގެނެވިފަ. މި ފަރާތްތަކުގެ…

— Mohamed Shamaan Waheed (@ShamaanW) June 29, 2024

Illegal migration remains a longstanding issue in the Maldives.

The Home Ministry has launched a special operation under the name ‘Kurangi’, in a crackdown on illegal migration.

The biometrics of over 1,500 migrants have been collected under the operation.

At a session of the ‘Ahaa’ public forum back in April, Home Minister Ali Ihusan said the issue of illegal migration will be resolved in three years.

He said that the collection of biometric data of migrants was just phase one of the operation, and will wrap up within one year.

He said that once the data on all migrants are collected and entered into a system, the government will then regularize all undocumented migrants.

Ihusan warned that those who fail to make use of the opportunity will be deported.

However, he stressed that the goal is not to arrest and deport migrants, but to give them a chance to get regularized.