Illegal stay: major resources deployed to track down illegal immigrants

• Armed officers, regular operations and detection mechanism

Significant resources are being deployed to flush out undocumented immigrants who have been defying the authorities for months, even years. Officers from the Special Supporting Unit (SSU), armed with batons, pistols and shotguns, are mobilized. At the same time, “crackdown” operations carried out by the Passport and Immigration Office (PIO) are multiplying across the country, while a highly sophisticated mobile scanner is now used to detect, in the space of a few seconds, if a foreigner is staying in the country illegally.

Concretely, this device scans the passport, thus allowing Immigration officers to be instantly informed of the status of the foreign national, in particular whether their residence permit has expired or not. How does this electronic device work? “The mobile scanner is equipped with a digital line which provides all data relating to foreigners immediately,” we specify.

This highly sophisticated device, used during “crackdown” operations, allows the officers of the Tracking Team to save time. “Who says saving time means tracking down more foreigners who are staying in the country illegally. The device, which is very easy to handle, allows us to catalyze our research and carry out the necessary checks as quickly as possible,” says the immigration service.

Le Défi Quotidien had the opportunity to witness the putting into operation of this device, during an operation carried out in the early hours this Wednesday by the PIO Tracking Team. The operation took place around 4 a.m. in Notre-Dame and Camp La Boue, Montagne-Longue. Twenty-three foreign nationals, 18 Bangladeshis and 5 Malagasy, were arrested. They had been in the country illegally for several years. While some arrived in Mauritius with a work permit, others had a tourist visa. They are being held at the New Wing Prison in Beau-Bassin while awaiting their repatriation.

At the Immigration service, it is argued that “the hunt for illegal immigrants continues”. “Our operations definitely take on another dimension with the use of the mobile scanner. In addition, we benefit from the help of the SSU during our operations. In practice, the latter will secure the areas where operations will be carried out,” it is stated.