Eight expatriates were taken into custody and five establishments were raided in Malé City as part of ongoing joint enforcement operations, Maldives Immigration has said.

The authority said the operation was carried out on 8 January by a national task force tasked with identifying and taking action against illegal expatriate business activities in the capital.

Maldives Immigration said the arrests is part of ongoing nationwide enforcement efforts to curb illegal expatriate employment and business activities. Similar operations in recent months have resulted in numerous expatriates being taken into custody. The authority said that thousands of undocumented expatriates have been repatriated from the Maldives under these measures.

The enforcement activities are being conducted by the national task force in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, with officials noting that action against illegal expatriate activities is continuing at the national level.