A large number of migrants have been deported for being involved in several different crimes.

This was revealed by the Maldives Immigration during a press conference held on Wednesday.

As such, 65 migrants involved in prostitution and 141 involved in drug-related cases and gang violence, were deported in the past eight months alone.

Speaking to press, Deputy Immigration Officer Mohamed Shifan revealed that among the foreigners who are being deported during the ongoing operations against illegal immigrants, those involved in criminal activities have also been deported.

As such, some of them include migrants who were involved in a prostitution ring, drug peddling as well as gang violence and assault.

Deported within the past eight months were 65 linked to prostitution, 141 linked to gang violence and drug peddling and 15 linked to other cases.

Shifan added that nine migrants were deported for being involved in forging visas and other documents.

Shedding light on some other cases identified by authorities, Shifan stated that On July 3, four Bangladeshi nationals had arrived on a Vista Airlines aircraft with forged stamps on their passports.

He said that they are believed to have been trying to transit in Maldives and travel to European country with the forged documents.

Officers had stopped the four Bangladeshi nationals.

Another case where a foreigner who was previously married to a Maldivian woman, was involved in a prostitution ring by bringing in 23 foreign women, from 2019 up to date, was also noted at the presser.

Shedding light on the case of foreign exchange on the black market, Shifan stated that officers conducted an operation during which eight migrants were brought into the custody of the immigration department.

Six out of the eight migrants have since been deported.

Work is currently underway to deport the remaining two migrants involved in the case.