Operation Kurangi: Information collected from 164 immigrants

Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced that information and data have been collected of 164 immigrants within four hours, under the first phase of Operation Kurangi. Operation Kurangi is an initiative undertaken by the government aiming to address the issue of illegal immigrants in the Maldives. 

Speaking at a programme aired on PSM News, the Minister of State for Homeland Security and Technology Uz. Ahmed Siddeeq stated that the information collected were from Himmafushi, Kaafu Atoll, while revealing plans to conduct the operation at a nation-wide level, identifying the total number of illegal immigrants. As such, the operation launched will embark on a data collection initiative, gathering fingerprints, photographs, and pertinent information of all foreign residents within the Maldives over the course of a year.

Highlighting that the operation will be conducted in a joint collaboration with the Maldives Immigration and the Maldives Police Service (MPS), Minister Siddeeq disclosed that a special task force teams was formed to conduct the operation. The minister further revealed that these teams will travel to resorts and islands under industrial development, while stating that Councils will also assist in overseeing the operations.

The post-initial phase of the operation includes biometric identification procedures which will target undocumented immigrants, culminating in their deportation through coordinated efforts with the respective embassies. Minister Siddeeq affirmed that this phase is significant in order to determine the total number of immigrants and the number of illegal immigrants within the nation. 

Aiming to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants, initiatives were taken under the previous administration as well. However, as the top-priority was given to solve the issue within Male’ City, no immigrants residing in islands were monitored from the system. Meanwhile, the current government has an overarching goal to resolve the illegal immigration challenge sustainably, within a three-year timeframe.