Port Klang electronic waste recycling plant raided, 49 foreigners detained
PUTRAJAYA: Authorities from the Immigration Department apprehended 49 foreigners and a Malaysian woman during a raid at an electronic waste recycling facility in the North Klang Straits Industrial Area, Port Klang, on Tuesday.
The detainees include 23 Bangladeshi men, 17 Myanmar men, one Nepali, one Chinese man, five Myanmar women, and one Vietnamese and one Chinese woman, all aged between 20 and 46.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Ruslin Jusoh stated that the raid, which took place around 2:50 p.m., was conducted following public complaints and two weeks of intelligence gathering indicating that the local woman was overseeing the operations.
“Initial inspections revealed that six Bangladeshi men were found working at the site while misusing their Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS). Two Bangladeshi men were found to have overstayed their permits, and the remaining foreigners were without valid travel documents or passports,” he said in a statement on Thursday (August 1).
During the raid, the team seized various items, including council licenses, company documents, a Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) certificate, business records, 10 Bangladeshi passports, three Myanmar passports, two mobile phones, a computer set, 22 time recorder cards, and RM2,900 in cash.
The factory was reportedly involved in processing electronic scrap, such as cables and wires, to extract copper and aluminum, which were imported through Port Klang. The processed materials were then resold in bulk in both local and international markets. The factory is suspected of employing foreigners and providing them with accommodation on-site, and has been operating for six months.
Ruslin noted that some foreign workers attempted to evade capture by hiding in the large factory area, which made the operation challenging, but all were eventually apprehended by Immigration personnel.
The foreigners are being held on suspicion of violating the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, and the Immigration Regulations 1963. They are currently detained at the Machap Umboo Immigration Depot in Melaka for further investigation. The Malaysian woman is also detained on suspicion of violating Section 56 (1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Additionally, the factory is believed to have breached Section 18, Section 19, and Section 34A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. A Malaysian man and two Chinese men have been issued notices to report to the office to assist with the investigation, according to Ruslin.