14 detained in raids on dangerously cramped expat accommodations in Hulhumale’

14 expatriates were detained from Hulhumale’ on Sunday, in ongoing raids by Maldives Immigration targeting irregular expatriates living in crowded and unsafe accommodation blocks in the Maldivian capital.

Immigration launched a special operation on September 10 targeting overcrowded accommodations that pose a threat to public safety.

In a post on X, Immigration said the taskforce raided two such accommodation blocks in Hulhumale’ on Sunday night.

Total 14 irregular expatriates were detained in the raids; nine from one of the accommodation blocks and five from the other. According to Immigration, this includes three women.

Immigration had previously warned it will take action against landowners who rent such unsafe accommodations to irregular expatriates.

Immigration and the police have also been conducting serial raids in a special joint operation targeting businesses run by irregular expatriates.

Over 5,000 individuals have been deported as part of the crackdown.

The government has said it aims to provide a permanent solution to the longstanding issue of illegal migration within three years.

The government has also been running ‘Operation Kurangi’ – a program to collect the biometric data of all expatriates in the Maldives.

Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan said in November that the program has been expanded to 138 islands, and has seen the collection of the biometric data of over 10,000 expatriates.