Updated 5.45pm - Added Aditus statement

All 84 migrants checked by the police in a surprise raid in Marsa this morning were found to have suitable documentation and the migrants were released, the police said.

The raid was carried out in the early morning in Marsa to "identify migrants", verify their documents and ensure they are in Malta legally, police said in a statement.  eck documentation and ensure that all the migrants are in Malta legally 

Checks began at around 6am, with police asking people to hand over their identification documents.

The documents were checked to ensure they were not fake.  

District police and Rapid Intervention Unit officers accompanied Immigration Police during the checks.  

In a Facebook post, human rights NGO Aditus condemned the way authorities had gone about verifying migrants' status. 

"The State has every right to ensure respect of its immigration rules, but the climate intentionally created over the past months is one of intimidation, fear and insecurity," Aditus wrote. 

"This does not promote public order, but instead promotes a racialised approach further fuelling exclusion, marginalisation and division."