A major crackdown on illegal immigrants will be launched by the police, Immigration Department and Rela after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

Zahid said the government viewed the issue of illegal immigrants seriously since their presence may increase crime, drugs, prostitution and other illicit activities that may cause a threat to the country's security.

"Since the start of the Ramadan month, 120 illegal immigrants were detained throughout the country for carrying out businesses without licence or without work permit or valid travel documents.

"The Immigration Department will continue to carry out raids to weed out illegal immigrants throughout the country," Zahid said after breaking fast with immigration officers at the department's headquarters in Putrajaya tonight.

Also present were Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and Immigration director-general Alias Ahmad.

Zahid said operations to net illegal immigrants would be carried out at Ramadan bazaars, plantations, factories and construction sites.

Through the 6P programme, he said, 1.3 million illegal immigrants were registered and from that total the applications of 500,000 had been processed while 330,000 had decided to return home.

The applications of the balance are in the process, he added.

- Bernama