Malaysia captures 58 escaped immigrants
Malaysian police have arrested 58 illegal immigrants, a senior official said yesterday after dozens fled a detention camp to escape difficult living conditions.
Police launched a major manhunt Tuesday after 109 inmates escaped from the Lenggeng immigration depot in Negeri Sembilan state, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
On Monday night the detainees, mainly from Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Iran, Thailand and Nigeria, burned down an accommodation block before fleeing.
More than 200 policemen, immigration officials and paramilitary volunteers are combing central Negeri Sembilan following the breakout.
District police chief Saiful Azly told AFP 58 inmates were arrested after being found in a nearby forest.
"The manhunt is continuing. I urge the remaining escapees to surrender," he said.
"Investigations showed that they were dissatisfied over cramped living conditions, the food and long detention periods," Abdul Manan Mohamad Hassan, state deputy police chief, was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.
Comments