Kota Bharu: The Kelantan Immigration Department arrested 17 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh through Ops Serkap in Kota Bharu yesterday. Its director, Yusoff Khan Mohd Hassan, said the operation, which began at 4 pm, involved 15 officers and members of the state immigration enforcement division.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, acting on intelligence, the immigration team inspected foreigners around Pengkalan Chepa, targeting two houses in Taman Seri, a house in Batu 6 Tok Kaya, and a kongsi in Mukim Pulau Gajah. The immigrants, aged between 19 and 40, have been sent to the Tanah Merah Immigration Depot for further investigation.

Yusoff Khan Mohd Hassan stated that 14 immigrants were suspected of infringing Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. Meanwhile, three other immigrants, believed to be agents, are being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) 2007.