MACAO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Macao police have nabbed six illegal imported laborers, local media reported Friday.

The Macao Post Daily quoted police sources as saying that the police personnel launched the surprise swoop on a private flat under renovation works in the city's Taipa region on Wednesday.

The suspects are all carpenters holding the Chinese mainland travel documents, the sources told the newspaper.

The employment of illegal workers is a crime that incurs hefty fines and imprisonment in case of repeat offenders. Illegally employed workers are customarily ordered to leave Macao.

Macao's number of illegally imported laborers has been rising in recent years.