Seventeen illegal immigrants found themselves in hot soup when immigration officers came a-calling at four tom yam restaurants here yesterday.

All of them, seven males and 10 females aged between 16 and 32, were arrested for various offences during the 'Ops Ikrar' operation.

Kedah Immigration Enforcement Division chief Mohd Shahrir Khalil said the offences included not having valid travel documents and misusing visit passes.

"The foreigners had not used the proper channel to enter the country for employment. Employers must make it a point to have suitable passes for such workers," he said in a statement today.

Mohd Shahrir said the immigrants were being held at the Immigration lockup at the Home Ministry building here for investigation before being sent to the Belantik Immigration Detention Depot in Sik.