KOTA KINABALU: Six Filipino illegal immigrants were detained when police demolished 51 illegally built squatter houses in the district, here this afternoon.

Kota Kinabalu police chief ACP Kasim Muda said the integrated operation from 3.30pm to 5.20pm was carried out by the Kota Kinabalu district police headquarters, National Registration Department, RELA, General Operations Force, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd, Jabatan Air Negeri Sabah, Land and Survey Department and Social Welfare Department.

According to Kasim, the illegal immigrants, aged between 25 and 50, would be detained an investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 51(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

“Such operations will be carried out to weed out illegal immigrants, criminal activities and social ills in the Kota Kinabalu district,“ he said in a statement here today.

He also urged the people of Sabah to refrain from assisting illegal immigrants who create social ills and involve in criminal activities.