More than 50 Vietnamese immigrants have been detained by the Interior Ministry’s immigration police following two recent raids, bringing the total number of people awaiting deportation for being in the country illegally to 73, according to an official.

The unit’s director of investigations, Uk Hai Seila, said 25 Vietnamese nationals were arrested yesterday in Phnom Penh, while 28 were seized in Preah Vihear on Saturday.

The two groups join another 20 foreign nationals awaiting deportation after being found either without the proper documents or expired visas, Seila said.

Those in detention include seven Nigerians, two Brits, two each from Korea and Germany and one each from Korea, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, India and Canada.

“Although we have strictly enforced the immigration law, there are still foreigners sneaking across the border, staying and working illegally in Cambodia,” he said.

“Those who face deportation will be barred from entering into the country.”

In 2015, some 4,400 foreigners representing 49 nationalities were deported. More than 3,900 were Vietnamese.