TAWAU: The Sabah Immigration Department (JIM) deported 24 China nationals to their country of origin via a direct flight from the Tawau Airport to Guangzhou yesterday.
Its director, Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said the 24, aged between 31 and 64 and detained at the Immigration Depot here, were deported through the illegal immigrant detention transfer programme after being found guilty of committing offences under Section 15(1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
“Based on statistics, 256 individuals have been deported via air transport within 10 months this year, including 34 China nationals,†she said in a statement today.
She added that the Sabah Immigration Department also recorded 98 transfers of detainees from the Immigration Depot in Sabah, involving the deportation of 6,873 individuals via air and sea transportation.
“Those deported were nationals from the Philippines (4,805 individuals); Indonesia (1,855); Pakistan (88); Vietnam (39); China (34); and other countries (52),†she said.
