Johor seafood restaurant allegedly hired unlicensed workers, 37 foreign workers & M'sian man detained

A seafood restaurant in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, was raided by the Johor Immigration Department on Aug. 7 after it was suspected of illegal employment and allegedly harboring unlicensed foreign workers.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the operation was launched at about 12pm that day based on public reports and intelligence.

It saw 37 foreign workers and a Malaysian man, believed to be the restaurant manager, being detained on the spot.

37 foreign workers

Preliminary investigations revealed that the 37 foreign employees arrested are aged between 19 and 49 and worked as restaurant servers and chefs, Oriental Daily News reported the agency's director as saying.

The workers arrested included six Burmese men, one Vietnamese man, one Bangladeshi man, and 29 Burmese women.

China Press reported that enforcement officers on site checked the employees' identity documents, work permits and terms of service.

They then further expanded the search to a staff dormitory in an area behind the restaurant.

A Malaysian man who was reportedly the restaurant's manager was also detained on the spot to assist in the investigation.

Suspected of violating Immigration Act

The agency's director said all the arrested foreign nationals were suspected of violating the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963 and have been transferred to a detention camp for further investigation.

Law enforcement officers also issued three witness summonses during the operation, he added.

Oriental Daily News reported that the Johor Immigration Department thanked the public for providing information regarding this incident.