BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 3. Joint measures to combat illegal migration conducted by the State Migration Service and the State Security Service of Azerbaijan resulted in detention of 31 foreigners with expired visas, Trend reports.
This issue has been reflected in the joint statement of press services of the above entities.
"It was established that $2,500 was taken from these people each, with employment promises. The organizer of these actions placed foreigners at various addresses in Baku, prohibited them from leaving the apartments, effectively turning them into illegal migrants," the joint statement said.
"Materials regarding the identified cases have been forwarded to law enforcement agencies for legal assessment. In total, in September 2023, the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan detained 873 foreigners during activities to combat illegal migration," the joint statement noted.
Besides, according to the statement, it was determined that the foreigners were residing without documents permitting them to stay and reside in the country, engaged in illegal employment, or not living at their registered address.
"During this period, 312 foreigners who violated immigration laws were administratively deported from Azerbaijan and restricted from re-entering the country for a legally established period. In the respective cases, they were given the choice to legalize their stay in the country or voluntarily leave it. A total of 2,221 administrative decisions were made regarding the residence, stay, employment of foreigners, and other related matters," the statement concluded.
Previously, as part of the measures taken by the Azerbaijan Republic State Migration Service against illegal migration, 20 foreigners who were found to have expired visas and who participated in the organization of illegal migration were detained in Baku.
The organizers of the criminal activity conducted propaganda through a foreign travel company about the transfer of foreigners to the territory of the EU. They took passports from 18 foreigners, allegedly for the preparation of documents, and embezzled their funds. As a result of the measures taken, two foreigners who committed the above-mentioned illegal actions were identified and detained, and materials on the identified cases were sent to the relevant law enforcement agency for legal assessment.