Kota Kinabalu: A total of 680 Filipinos arrested by the local authorities for violating immigration travel requirements were deported to Zamboanga City, Philippines from Sandakan on Wednesday.
Dakota Marine Agency, the appointed local-based company assigned to assist in the deportation exercise, said the violators were temporarily detained at the Sandakan and Tawau detention centres prior to deportation.
Its Chief Executive Officer Jovy Tulipas said 552 were males, 93 females, 31 children (12 years old) and four kids.
“The exercise is the first by the Sabah Immigration Department and coordinated by the police and other local enforcement units,” she said, adding staff from the Philippine Embassy Office in Kuala Lumpur also issued the required one-way travel documents to the deportees.
SPONSORED CONTENT RM20bil green steel project: Sabah on its way to adopting green technology, says Hajiji Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said Sabah is well on its way to fully adopting the green technology revolution with a RM20 billion green steel project at the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (Sogip). Read more Juvy also confirmed that Aleson Shipping Line is tentatively scheduled to organise a similar exercise on Jan 24 once green light from the Sabah Immigration Department is obtained.
Daily Express earlier reported 33 undocumented migrants being roped in during a large-scale integrated operation led by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) in Tawau.
The operation, from Monday to Wednesday (Dec 4 to 6), was held simultaneously on land and at sea, involving multiple state and federal agencies.
Esscom Commander DCP Datuk Victor Sanjos said they screened 1,126 people and inspected 54 boats during the operation.
“Of those checked, we detained 33 found without any valid personal documents and they were handed over to the Immigration Department,” he had said.
“Our men also arrested two women found in possession of ketamine weighing 27.2gm,” he added.
Errant local hawkers also did not escape the long arm of the law, he said, adding two were issued compound notices for operating without a valid licence.
Sanjos said they detected one case each of violations of the Ports and Harbours Enactment 2002, Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 and Control of Supplies Act 1961.
He said the operation focused mainly on jetties, business premises and fish markets, with a view towards detecting breaches of rules governing controlled and subsidised items.
Thanking the 200 officers and personnel who made the exercise a success, he said such operations would be intensified to curb potential cross-border crimes.
He urged the public to provide any information that could help this effort by calling 089-863181 or via WhatsApp at https://wa.me/01163311072
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.