YANGON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A total of 18 people from villages and internal displaced persons camps in Sittway, Myanmar's Rakhine state, have been prevented from illegal immigration to Malaysia, Myanmar News Agency reported Sunday.

The 18 people including women were stopped from leaving their places of origin.

The detained 18 confessed that they paid 1.5 million kyats (1,000 U.S. dollars) each to a broker for the attempted immigration.

Local police have launched a case against the broker who recruited the people and the 18 detained are under investigation, the report added.