Dozens of domestic workers have been arrested [7days].

Dozens of domestic workers have been arrested after immigration officials raided four villas in Bur Dubai.

A total of 132 people, mostly Asian men, were seized during yesterday's early morning swoop carried out by the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD).

The department's director, Major General Mohammed Al Murri, said it was cracking down on workers who are found flouting the UAE's strict immigration laws and warned the DNRD will continue to pursue illegal workers in a bid to "protect the safety and security" of the country.

The raids came after a tip-off from a member of the public who said illegal immigrants were staying in the villas in Bur Dubai.

The DNRD and Dubai Police obtained search warrants and stormed the villas, arresting 111 men and 21 women.

Of those that were caught, 79 were held for committing visit visa violations, 28 for absconding from their sponsors, 14 for working under a different sponsor and ten for staying in the country with an expired visa.

One person was arrested for returning to the country after being deported.

Illegal immigrants have also been targeted in Sharjah.

Officials from the emirate's immigration department found 42 people in breach of the law earlier this week.

The department's Colonel Dr Abdullah Sahowa said the raids in Sharjah's industrial zone were part of an emirate-wide campaign to rid the area of illegal workers.

Seven of those arrested had previously been deported while the remaining 35 were held on suspicion of being in breach of visit visas.

Officials say the 42 men arrested claimed to have paid between dhs2,000 and dhs5,000 each to an Asian man who brought them across to the UAE by boat from Iran.

Earlier this month 25 Filipino, Indonesian and Sri Lankan housemaids were also arrested in a flat in Jamal Abdul Nasser Street in Sharjah after absconding from their sponsors.