Maldives Immigration, in collaboration with Maldives Customs Service and the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA), has carried out a joint enforcement operation that resulted in multiple arrests and the closure of several food outlets.
Police said the operation, conducted on Tuesday, involved inspections at 10 locations, focusing on businesses suspected of operating without proper authorization and employing irregular foreign workers. Following the inspections, five food outlets were issued notices and ordered to shut down.
During the operation, three foreign nationals were taken into custody on suspicion of immigration-related violations. Police also confirmed that three additional foreigners had been arrested late last month in connection with similar offences and were remanded in custody for five days.
Authorities say the latest operation forms part of a broader government crackdown on illegal immigration and unauthorized commercial activity, particularly businesses operating outside regulatory frameworks. Immigration officials, alongside police and other enforcement agencies, have stepped up inspections across the country as part of a wider campaign to regulate the foreign workforce.
Several unauthorized businesses have already been shut down in recent weeks, with more inspections planned as enforcement efforts continue. Officials have reiterated that the operations are aimed at ensuring compliance with immigration, labour, and public health regulations, while addressing growing concerns over undocumented foreign residents.
