The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced that the information of more than 100,000 foreigners have been collected so far under Operation Kurangi.
Operation Kurangi was launched on 2 May last year as part of the government's efforts to find a permanent solution to the issue of illegal foreigners in the Maldives. The initiative is being conducted out in collaboration with the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, the Maldives Police Service and Maldives Immigration.
According to the Ministry, the biometric data of foreigners residing in the Maldives is being collected under Operation Kurangi. Under the efforts, fingerprints as well as facial recognition data of foreigners are gathered, while also ensuring that they are employed under the laws and regulations of the Maldives.
The Ministry reported the biometric data of 109,722 foreigners has been collected to date, with 67,214 collected from Male’ City.
The Ministry said the information needed for the operation is being collected by setting up biometrics collection systems in local councils. The system has been installed in 186 council, and so far 80 islands have completed the collection of foreigners’ data.
According to the Ministry, information on foreigners are being collected in resorts in addition to inhabited islands. While data collection has been completed for foreigners employed at 58, data collection is ongoing at 112 resorts.
The Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihsan confirmed that information on over 100,000 foreigners residing in the Maldives has been collected. Foreigners whose biometric data has not been collected by April will face deportation, he stated.
"We will carry out this work in an expedited manner over the next forty days. After the closure of this window, we will consider all foreigners who have not recorded their biometrics as individuals to be deported from the Maldives,” the Minister said.