The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology will expand its operation, currently being undertaken with Maldives Immigration, to involve other agencies in the tracking down of illegal immigrants, the agency has confirmed.
A task force comprising immigration officials and police had conducted a series of raids in recent days to track down illegal immigrants, resulting in several arrests and deportations.
President Mohamed Muizzu, on Thursday, instructed that the Health Protection Agency (HPA), the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA), and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade be included in the task force after previous raids brought to light the involvement of illegal immigrant in the preparation, under appalling conditions, of food sold in local shops and cafés — Ali Ihusaan, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, during a press conference confirmed that the agencies would be made party to the ongoing operation.
Meanwhile, Abdulla Khaleel, the Minister of Health, said that lax standards at establishments where food is processed, as well as at other unregistered establishments that pose a threat to public health, would lead to permanent shutdowns — the Food Safety Act, which comes into force on Saturday, will give the MFDA a wider range of powers.
Maryam Wisaam, the Registrar of Companies at the Trade Ministry, said that unregistered establishments identified through the raids would be shuttered and that the first priority was to take action against unregistered or unlicensed establishments.