Police have conducted a series of coordinated inspections overnight and into the early hours of Thursday, resulting in the arrest of 19 individuals found to be residing irregularly in the country.

According to police, the first operation took place in Ħamrun and Qormi, where officers detained ten people of various nationalities, including individuals from Syria, the Gambia, Côte d'Ivoire, and Niger.

A second set of inspections was carried out in St Paul's Bay, leading to the arrest of a further nine individuals. These included people originating from Albania, Syria, Ghana, Bangladesh, the Gambia, and Mali.

All 19 individuals were taken into custody and are currently being held at a detention facility under the supervision of the Detention Services Agency. Police said they will remain there while procedures are carried out for their return to their countries of origin.

The operations were supported by officers from the same agency alongside the Police Force, as part of ongoing enforcement activity targeting irregular migration. Police reiterated Malta's commitment to fulfilling its obligations in the field of immigration while respecting national laws and procedures.