RANAU: Sabah Immigration officers arrested 145 illegal immigrants in an operation conducted at Kampung Lutut here today.
Department director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yusof said the immigrants, 82 males and 63 females, were aged between three months and 62 years.
“The enforcement team took nearly an hour to reach the location, which was only accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles. The team also had to cross three small rivers to reach the location, consisting of clusters of ‘kongsi’ houses.
“The raid began at 7 am today, with some foreign nationals attempting to flee, leading to minor scuffles; however, no unwanted incidents occurred,” she said in a statement.
She added that 220 people were checked during the operation following public complaints and many of them did not have valid travel documents or had overstayed in the country.
Sh Sitti Saleha said the operation was conducted by 52 personnel from the Kota Kinabalu Immigration Headquarters as well as Ranau, Keningau, and Kudat Immigration Offices, with the assistance of personnel from the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela).
“Enforcement operations will be carried out continuously to detect, apprehend, prosecute, and deport foreign nationals who violate the country’s laws.
“This includes offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, and the Immigration Regulations 1963, as well as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007,” she said.
