Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Immigration Department has stepped up enforcement operations in several districts, including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Keningau, to curb illegal immigrants and prevent abuse of immigration facilities.
A department spokesman said from Sept 26 to Oct 1, the department conducted 12 operations at strategic locations across the districts.
He said checks on 288 individuals resulted in the arrest of 82 illegal immigrants, comprising 21 adult Filipino men, 14 adult Filipino women, three Filipino boys and five Filipino girls.
The group also included 11 adult Indonesian men, three adult Indonesian women and one Indonesian girl, as well as 24 adult Pakistani men.
The department said it would continue enforcement operations at strategic locations throughout the districts to ensure compliance with immigration laws and curb illegal immigrants.
The spokesman also urged the public not to shelter, employ, or assist foreigners who violate the country’s laws and to report illegal immigrant activities through the official channels of the Sabah Immigration Department.
Meanwhile, in TAWAU, police detained three foreign men suspected of attempting to enter the country illegally during an operation at the Tawau Public Jetty (JAT) on Friday.
District Police Chief ACP Rosdi Mat Jusoh said the trio, aged between 25 and 52, were taken to Tawau police station for further investigation and action after they were found without valid identification documents.
