11 illegals detained for entering Sabah illegally

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Kudat thwarted an attempt by 11 illegal immigrants to sneak into the state on Sunday night.

Kudat Maritime Zone director Martime Commander Boon Chin Chau said the 11 people were from Cagayan Island in southern Philippines.

MMEA personnel on patrol detected the pump boat they were traveling in at about 1.4 nautical miles from Tanjung Inaruntung, in Pitas, he said in a statement yesterday.

“The boat was conducting the patrol, which is part of Ops Pluto Timur and came across the pump boat. Upon checking the passengers onboard, MMEA personnel found that none of them, including the captain, had any identification documents,” he said, adding that the passengers comprised six men and five women aged between two and 54.

The pump boat, he said, was also not registered with the Sabah Ports and Wharves Department.

According to Boon, the case is being investigated under the Sabah Ports and Wharves Enactment 2002, Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007.

The pump boat and its passengers were taken to the Kudat Marina jetty for further action, he said.

Boon stressed that MMEA would continue to conduct more patrols and enforcement of law to reduce incidents of law breaking in Malaysia's maritime zone.