By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Seven illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were arrested in the neighbouring district of Palghar on Thursday, police sources have said.

Nalasopara area of Palghar district houses a large number of illegal Nigerian and Bangladeshi nationals.

Most of these illegal migrants work in Vasai-Virar belt and locals willingly rent them houses as they pay exorbitant rents.

However, such places are now being raided and illegal migrants are being hunted, police said.

On Thursday, seven such illegal migrants were arrested for staying in Virar.

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The Anti-Terrorism Squad of the Palghar police on Thursday night raided Tirupati Nagar in Arnala, Virar (west).

Seven men, identified as Shahbuddin Haq (40), Shahbuddin Bhuia (36), Rohuamim Ali (29), Mohammed Shaikh (22), Shahalam Shaikh (22), Shaidul Shaikh (20) and Mohammed Shaikh (19) were found staying illegally.

They were working in a nearby fish market, police said.

All of them have been booked under Sections 3 (a) (passport or travel documents for departure from India) and 6 (a) (refusal of passport, travel documents) of the Passports Act and section 14 of the Foreigners Act (remains in any area in India for a period exceeding the period for which the visa was issued to him), police added.

Last month the Palghar collector had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the district for two months.

Under this, the flat owners were directed to inform the police about homes being rented out to foreigners.

Post which, several Nigerian nationals and flat owners were arrested by police in raids in the area. Now, the police is targeting the illegal Bangladeshi migrants, who are concentrated primarily in Vasai-Virar belt, police, the police added.