Malaysian immigration authorities arrested 13 foreigners attempting to illegally cross the Kelantan border yesterday, with several of the detainees found to be on a blacklist barring them from entering the country. Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban confirmed the operation, conducted jointly with the Marine Police, began at 5.10am at two locations in Kota Baru, Kelantan. The detainees, aged between 22 and 55, included eight Bangladeshi men, three Indonesian men, one Indonesian woman, and one Myanmar woman. Checks revealed that several of the individuals had been previously blacklisted from entering Malaysia, though the specific reasons for their blacklisting were not disclosed. During the operation, authorities seized four Bangladeshi passports, four Indonesian passports, and a Proton Preve vehicle believed to have been used to facilitate the movement of the foreigners. All 13 detainees are suspected of committing offences under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which relate to illegal entry and overstaying. They have been taken to the Immigration office for further investigation and processing. The operation highlights ongoing efforts by Malaysian authorities to curb illegal immigration along the country's borders, particularly in Kelantan which shares a border with Thailand and is a common transit point for migrants.