KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police, in a raid against illegal immigrants, detained seven Bangladeshis among 61 foreigners from a shopping mall in Penang city.

Local businesspeople had long been complaining that their businesses were being hampered as illegal immigrants became shop owners and also work there.

Following the complaint, city police’s registration department, and immigration and anti-drug department launched a joint raid in the mall.

During the three-hour raid, police checked the necessary documents and papers of some 1,831 people and detained 61 illegal migrants, including seven Bangladeshi nationals.

Of the others, 38 are from Nepal, 14 from Myanmar, 3 from Indonesia and 2 from Pakistan.

More raids against illegal immigrants will be carried out in future, said Penang city police director.

BDST: 1223 HRS, FEB 10, 2015