Seventeen foreigners, including 10 undocumented immigrants and seven foreign fishermen, were detained during an integrated enforcement operation in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday.
The operation, dubbed Op Todak, was conducted at about 11pm on Aug 4 around the Sabah Fish Marketing Sdn Bhd (SAFMA) area, Kota Kinabalu Market and nearby locations.
The operation involved Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), the Royal Malaysia Police, Immigration Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Sabah Coast Guard and SAFMA, with agencies working together to strengthen enforcement in the area.
DBKK said Immigration Department personnel screened 521 individuals during the operation. Ten undocumented immigrants were subsequently detained for suspected offences under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Meanwhile, the Sabah Coast Guard and MMEA inspected four fishing boats as part of the operation. One vessel was found to have seven foreign fishermen without valid documentation among its crew.
The seven fishermen were detained and handed over to the Immigration Department for further investigation. The authorities did not disclose the nationalities of those detained.
A total of 12 personnel from the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters, Special Operations Team and Marine Police Unit were also involved, providing security and operational support throughout the enforcement exercise.
DBKK said joint operations of this nature would continue as authorities step up efforts to ensure Kota Kinabalu remains clean, safe and orderly.
