The police said on Wednesday that over the past few days, a total of 45 foreigners have been detained after being found living and working in Malta irregularly during coordinated traffic stops.

These persons derive from Albania, Ghana, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, and Syria. All irregular persons were sent to stay in a detention centre until they are repatriated back to their respective home countries or deported to a country they have permission to reside in.

“This is part of continuous work carried out by the authorities against abuse and in favour of more security,” the corps stated.

The police also stated that charges were additionally issued to two drivers who were found to be driving without a driving license. Transport Malta have since removed these unlicensed and uninsured cars from the roads. Simultaneously, JobsPlus is investigating people in connection with supplying “irregular jobs” to foreign workers.

In conjunction with the police, Transport Malta’s enforcement officers have also issued several contraventions to drivers failing to abide by traffic laws and/or in relation to having vehicles that were uncompliant with the law.

Officials from Identità and the Detention Services Agency also assisted the police in these operations.