33 illegals detained in Lahad Datu operation
LAHAD DATU: Thirty-three illegal immigrants were picked up during an integrated operation coordinated by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) at four separate locations on Friday.
ESSCom commander DCP Datuk Hazani Ghazali, in a statement yesterday, said that the nine-hour operation was participated by 65 personnel and was focused on areas believed to be occupied by illegal immigrants.
Hazani said the operation was conducted at Kampung Membatu, Kampung Manar and Kampung Perpaduan in Tungku and at the Lahad Datu town area.
He said a total of 158 individuals were inspected during the operation and 33 of them were nabbed for not having any documents or possessing suspicious documents and using expired passport.
“Those detained, including 30 from the Philippines and three from Indonesia, aged between 10 and 50 years old, were taken to the marine police base before they were sent to the temporary detention centre.
“Those apprehended will be investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) 1959/63 of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 (Amendment 2002),” he said.
Hazani said ESSCom would continue to flush out illegal immigrants who are suspected of being linked to smuggling activities.
He said the operation would also continue with some improvements in efforts to reduce the large number of illegal immigrants’ presence in certain areas, such as plantations and the town areas which has been seen to have been involved in smuggling activities.
He also thanked all the agencies involved in the operation, including the Police, the Immigration Department, the Road Transport Department, the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Welfare Department.