Police arrest 40 migrants that were living illegally in Malta

40 people have been arrested and are in the process of being deported, after it was discovered that they were living illegally in Malta.

In a press release, the Ministry for Home Affairs said that in the early hours of Friday, police together with the Detention Service and the Environmental Health Directorate carried out inspections Marsa, Ħamrun, and Attard.

Police approached several people of different nationalities during inspections on the road, at bus stops and in dwellings.

A number of foreign nationals were found to be living in poor conditions but without the necessary permits to reside in Malta.

The ministry said that the authorities will also be investigating the owners of the residencies, in which the migrants were living.

“This work goes hand in hand with similar weekly operations that aim to send a clear message that our communities embrace the principle of law adherence, so that those who live in them always feel safe,” the ministry said.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said that "In the coming weeks this work will proceed and will intensify, and a number of similar operations will take place across the country, as well as in Gozo. This is so that the authorities continue to fight the issue of illegal immigration, as part of a strategy built on prevention, return, and relocation."