Police instructed to question expats on streets between 00:00 and 06:00

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has directed the police to halt and interrogate expatriates seen on the streets after dark, referencing worries regarding public disturbances and breaches of societal norms.

In a statement regarding President X, the President mentioned that certain foreigners living in the Maldives are involved in actions that disrupt public peace during the night. He observed that these people are behaving in manners that contradict typical societal norms.

Consequently, officials have been instructed to halt and interrogate migrants in public locations from 00:00 to 06:00 hrs, and to take legal measures when required.

The action takes place during a wider governmental initiative against unlawful immigration. Authorities report a rise in the population of undocumented foreigners in the Maldives, many of whom are engaged in criminal activities or deviating from accepted social standards.

Immigration officials are carrying out targeted operations to detect undocumented immigrants, which involves biometric registration. The authorities have started expelling undocumented immigrants within 48 hours of their arrest.

A task force consisting of multiple agencies is actively investigating illegal businesses run by foreigners and closing them down.

The government has committed to addressing the problem of illegal immigration within three years.

As per the 2022 census, the population of the Maldives stands at 500,000, consisting of 382,639 residents and 132,493 foreign workers, indicating that expatriates make up 26 percent of the overall population.