MOSCOW, June 28 (UPI) -- Nearly 1,400 migrant workers living in dirty, illegal buildings in Moscow were detained on suspicion of immigration offenses, police said Friday.
Police said the workers, mainly from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, were living in purpose-built dormitories enclosed by metal fences on the construction site where they were employed, RIA Novosti reported.
"Eight to 10 people were sharing small rooms in unsanitary conditions containing four or five bunk beds," police said in a statement. "The emergency exits from the bedrooms were locked and the corridors were cluttered with furniture. Contrary to fire safety regulations, the migrants had been cooking food on electric stoves."
The raid Thursday was part of operation "Illegal Migrant," police said, with 1,314 migration law violations being reported among 1,380 detainees. Police said criminal investigations could be opened into the organization of illegal migration.
Acting Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there are about 300,000 illegal migrants in the city.
