15 nabbed for trying to enter Sandakan illegally
SANDAKAN: Fifteen illegal immigrants, including nine women and three children, were nabbed by the marine police near Kuala Sungai Batu 3 (Mile 3 River) around 12.35am yesterday.
According to the acting commander of the marine police team district 4 Sabah (Sandakan), Superintendent Mohd Nasir Othman, the marine police team acting on information about migrant smuggling activity, conducted an inspection near Kuala Sungai Batu 3 here.
There, they spotted a suspicious speedboat moving slowly from the sea and entering Sungai Batu 3. When the police approached the speedboat, it sped off and entered Sungai Batu 3, but was eventually caught and stopped by the marine police.
Inspection of the boat found 15 people, all of whom were not in possession of any identification document, including the boat's operator.
All the suspects were subsequently arrested, who included three men, nine women, and three children.
“We believe that these illegals were smuggled into Malaysia from the Philippines. They were arrested under the AntiTrafficking in Persons and AntiSmuggling of Migrants Act 2007 and Immigration Act 1959/63.
“We also seized the wooden speedboat and its engine, worth about RM2,600. The suspects and the seized items were taken to the Sandakan marine police office for further action,” Nasir said.