The illegal immigrants caught on Sunday in the waters, off Mataking Island.
SEMPORNA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained 11 Filipino illegal immigrants for trying to enter Semporna at waters off Mataking Island, on Sunday.
District Maritime Enforcement chief Captain Anor Hj Jaafar said a Malaysian Maritime patrol vessel conducting operation in the area received information on two ‘jongkong’ boats and a pump-boat heading to Malaysian waters at about 3pm.
He said checks on the boats found that the skipper and ten passengers did not possess any identification documents which is an offense under the Immigration Act.
He said those detained were seven men, three women age between 28 to 45 and a seven-year-old child.