The Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) Sabah has detained 91 undocumented migrants in a coordinated enforcement operation carried out across four districts in the state on Wednesday night.
The large-scale operation, involving Ops Selera, Ops Belanja, Ops Serkap, Ops Sapu and Ops Kutip, was conducted at several identified hotspots known to be frequented by foreign nationals.
In a statement, JIM Sabah said a total of 373 individuals were inspected during the operation, including 151 people in Kota Kinabalu alone, where 46 foreigners were detained for various immigration offences.
The offences detected included failure to possess valid travel documents and breaches of pass conditions under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
In Kota Kinabalu, those detained comprised 14 men, 18 women and 11 children, all believed to be Filipino nationals. Two Indonesian men and one Pakistani man were also arrested.
In Kudat, 46 individuals were inspected, resulting in the detention of nine foreigners consisting of one man, four women and four children.
Meanwhile, in Tawau, enforcement officers conducted operations in collaboration with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK). A total of 159 individuals were inspected, with 21 foreigners detained involving men, women and children of Filipino and Indonesian nationality.
In Ranau, 17 individuals were checked, leading to the arrest of 13 undocumented migrants from the same nationalities.
JIM Sabah stressed that enforcement operations will continue from time to time to curb the presence of undocumented migrants in the state.
It added that continuous action is essential to ensure compliance with immigration laws and to control the entry of foreigners without valid documentation.
