News Desk
MALÉ, Maldives — President Dr. Mohammed Muizzu announced Friday night that the government will begin deporting foreigners who have not submitted biometric data, starting tomorrow.
Speaking at a massive rally organized by the ruling People’s National Congress at the artificial beach in Malé, President Muizzu said the move was part of his promise to address long-standing problems in the country, including drugs, gangs and undocumented foreigners. He argued that successive governments had failed to confront the issue.
“When we launched Operation Kurangi, we did not even know how many foreigners were in the Maldives,” President Muizzu said. He added that the biometric campaign had now recorded fingerprints of 191,723 foreigners. “We know where the foreigners are in the Maldives and where they are,” he said.
The president said the collection of biometric data had given the government a clearer picture of the foreign workforce. However, it remains unclear whether his comments referred to expatriates employed in senior positions at resorts or primarily to labourers from South Asian countries, who are often the focus of immigration and police enforcement.
Muizzu framed the deportation drive as part of a broader effort to restore order and deliver on his pledges. “It was my promise to the people to solve these problems,” he told the crowd.
