In the largest immigration crackdown of the year, Maldives Immigration, assisted by Addu City police and council members, detained 83 foreign nationals lacking valid documents. The operation, named Operation Hama Magu, was conducted on Wednesday across all six districts of Addu City.
Led by Controller General Ahmed Faseeh alongside Deputy Controller Ahmed Ashfaan, the raid mobilised approximately 50 officers—35 from Maldives Immigration and 15 from local police—working in 13 teams to inspect the legal status of expatriates in the city. Authorities reviewed the documentation of 678 foreign workers, ultimately detaining 83 individuals found to be residing or working in the Maldives without proper immigration papers. In addition, 75 Maldivian employers received notices for illegally hiring these migrant workers.
އައްޑޫ ސިޓީގައި މި މަހުގެ 25 ވަނަ ދުވަހު ކުރިއަށް ގެންދެވުނު ޚާއްޞަ ރެއިޑް “އޮޕަރޭޝަން ހަމަމަގު” ގެ ތެރެއިން. މި އޮޕަރޭޝަންގެ ދަށުން، ގަވާއިދާ ޚިލާފަށް އައްޑޫ ސިޓީގައި ދިރިއުޅެމުންދިޔަ 83 ބިދޭސީން ވަނީ މޯލްޑިވްސް އިމިގްރޭޝަންގެ ބެލުމުގެ ދަށަށް ގެނެވިފައި. pic.twitter.com/y9QUd8L0i8
— Maldives Immigration (@ImmigrationMV) June 27, 2025
This raid is part of a broader national effort to regulate foreign nationals. Under Operation Kurangi, authorities have collected biometric data from over 151,000 expatriates to strengthen oversight and ensure legal compliance. Since April, the government initiated deportations targeting individuals who failed to provide biometric information.
As of 19 June 2025, approximately 7,549 undocumented migrants have been deported following similar enforcement actions. This marks a sharp increase compared to 5,600 deportations recorded in 2024.
Immigration officials have confirmed plans to replicate the operation’s strategy nationwide in the coming weeks, emphasising a zero-tolerance stance on illegal migration . The government aims to completely resolve the presence of undocumented foreign nationals before April 2027.
