226 Migrants Detained in Johor Raid; Johor Immigration Dept Hits Smart Pandan Market

The Johor Immigration Department detained 226 migrants on August 3 after raiding the Smart Pandan Wholesale Market in Johor Baru and uncovering repeated passport trips used to sustain unauthorized work.

The operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering and public complaints about illegal trading and labor at the market. Officers detained mainly Indonesian nationals, along with Bangladeshi and Myanmar nationals.

Immigration officers said some Indonesian workers were leaving Malaysia and returning shortly before their social visit passes expired. The practice allowed them to refresh their stays without obtaining work authorization.

"some Indonesian workers made monthly 'passport runs' to continue working illegally in Malaysia."

The detainees were taken to the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for further investigation. Authorities identified possible offenses including social visit pass abuse, overstaying and failure to produce valid travel or employment documents.

Workers used tourist entries while employers avoided formal work channels

The passport runs involved workers using tourist or social visit entries for long-term employment, rather than securing a valid Temporary Employment Visit Pass, known as PLKS. The arrangement also enabled employers to hire undocumented labor while avoiding official levies and registration fees.

Some workers allegedly remained in Malaysia after their passes expired. Others could not show legitimate travel or work authorization when officers conducted the raid.

The enforcement action also focused attention on “flying passports,” a practice in which syndicates handle workers’ passports and obtain entry stamps without the workers actually leaving the country. The department dismissed 20 officers in early 2026 for involvement in such syndicates.

The department has warned local business owners against employing undocumented workers or helping arrange passport runs. Employers and facilitators may face penalties under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Johor raid joins a wider 2026 immigration crackdown

The operation forms part of a broader Malaysian enforcement campaign. As of June 2026, Malaysian Immigration Director-General Dato' Zakaria Shaaban said authorities had detained over 30,801 foreigners nationwide for various immigration offenses.

The Johor operation targeted a particular labor market, but the enforcement figures show that immigration authorities are also pursuing violations beyond the market itself. That includes document misuse, overstaying and arrangements that bypass the formal employment system.

The national campaign has increasingly addressed both passport-run practices and the syndicates that support them. The dismissal of immigration officers earlier this year added an internal enforcement dimension to the crackdown.

Deportation and re-entry bans may follow immigration findings

Authorities typically deport people found to have overstayed or abused their passes, and may blacklist them from returning to Malaysia for several years. The outcome for each detainee will depend on the investigation and the immigration finding in that case.

The 226 people remain at the Setia Tropika facility during the investigation. Employers also face exposure if authorities determine that they hired undocumented workers or helped workers bypass Malaysia’s work-permit rules.

The Immigration Act 1959/63 provides the legal framework cited in the warning to business owners. The operation therefore places workers, employers and passport facilitators under separate lines of scrutiny.

Malaysia’s immigration authorities are continuing to target passport runs and flying-passport syndicates as part of the 2026 campaign. The Johor detainees’ cases will proceed through further investigation at the immigration depot.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.