Malaysian immigration authorities detained 18 foreign nationals during a raid on 12 business premises in Kuala Lumpur on Monday over suspected illegal employment.

The operation, conducted with Kuala Lumpur City Hall, targeted restaurants, grocery stores, car wash outlets and vehicle repair workshops.

Those detained included nationals of Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Myanmar, aged between 25 and 32. Authorities said they were arrested for offences including working without valid documents, violating visa conditions and overstaying.

All detainees have been taken to the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation, while two local individuals have been summoned to assist in the case.