The department of immigration has reportedly fined 21 guest houses, four teashops, and 14 shops for hiring illegal migrant workers in a crackdown across the Maldives.
The immigration department discovered the undocumented expatriates in an operation conducted with assistance from the police.
A fine of MVR50,000 (US$3,242) is specified in the law for hiring illegal migrant workers.
The immigration department deported 6,400 undocumented workers between January and July this year.
A special operation to deport undocumented workers was announced on April 24, with Minister of Defence and National Security Mohamed Nazim – also in charge of the immigration department – promising “the whole Malé will be cleaned [of migrant workers]” within three weeks.