Dozens of expats detained, over 100 checked, in Immigration raid in capital

Maldives Immigration detained dozens of expatriates from Male’ City on Thursday, in nighttime raids during which the joint task force checked over 100 expatriates for valid documentation.

According to Immigration, the raids were conducted by the taskforce as part of the ongoing joint operation targeting irregular expatriates.

On Thursday night, the taskforce raided two locations in Male’ City – a property in the Henveiru district and another one located in Haveeree Goalhi in Maafannu.

According to Immigration, officers checked total 102 expatriates for valid documentation during the raids.

Total 25 expatriates were detained due to lack of valid papers; seven from Henveiru and 18 from Maafannu.

However, the agency did not disclose any details, including their gender or nationality.

ގަވާއިދާ ހިލާފަށް ރާއްޖޭގައި ދިރިއުޅެމުންދާ ބިދޭސީން ހޯދުމަށް ޓާސްކް ފޯސްއިން ކުރިއަށްގެންދާ އޮޕަރޭޝަންތަކުގެ ދަށުން،2025 މޭ 29 ވަނަ ދުވަހުގެ ރޭ ވަނީ 2 ތަނެއް ބަލައި ފާސްކޮށްފައި. މި އޮޕަރޭޝަންގައި ޖުމަލް 102 ބިދޭސީން ޗެކްކޮށްފައިވޭ. އެގޮތުން، ހެންވޭރުގައި ހުންނަ ގެއަކުން 7… pic.twitter.com/BwGcw4nTfU

— Maldives Immigration (@ImmigrationMV) May 31, 2025

The crackdown on irregular migration – launched in 2023 – has seen over 6,000 expatriates deported from the Maldives.

The Maldives also been running ‘Operation Kurangi’ – a program to collect the biometric data of all expatriates in the country. On March 19, the Homeland Security Ministry announced that they have connected the biometric data of over 100,000 expatriates, including 65,000 from the greater Male’ area, since the program was launched on May 2, 2024.

The government has said that the completion of ‘Kurangi’ will provide a permanent solution to irregular migration.