VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Malta Police Force has arrested 76 people during a series of nationwide immigration inspections carried out over recent days, part of what government officials describe as a coordinated campaign to curb irregular migration. In a statement, police said the operations targeted public transport routes and work-related vehicles across Malta and Gozo. Checks were conducted on buses, private cars, and company vans, leading to the detention of individuals from Syria, Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia.
Authorities said the people arrested were found to be living or working in the country without the necessary permits. They have been transferred to a detention centre pending repatriation. The inspections were supported by Detention Services Agency personnel, Transport Malta, JobsPlus, and Identità officials. The latest sweep follows a string of similar high-visibility enforcement actions under Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri. The intensified checks are considered as part of an ongoing effort to reinforce border control and ensure compliance with labour and residency regulations.
The strategy has drawn criticism from human rights groups and opposition politicians, who argue that such raids disproportionately affect vulnerable migrants while leaving employers and landlords who facilitate irregular work largely untouched. Malta’s campaign unfolds amid broader claims of success on migration management, including reduced arrivals through cooperation with Libyan authorities. At the same time, official data shows the country continues to rely heavily on foreign labour, issuing more than 33,000 first-time work permits last year.
– photo Police of Malta –
(ITALPRESS).
