46 people were arrested after being found to be living in Malta illegally, and are being held pending their repatriation, the police force said in a statement on Friday.
The arrests came after inspections on several vehicles passing through Marsa and Paola.
Those arrested hail from Syria, Nigeria, India, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Mexico, and Sudan, the police said.
They are all being held under arrest at a detention centre pending their repatriation.
The police said that it was assisted by officials from the Detention Services Agency, and that more work in this regard will continue in the coming days and weeks.