Some of the suspected illegal immigrants rounded up at three separate locations in Miri.
MIRI: Immigration Department enforcement officers rounded up 40 illegal immigrants, believed to be Suluks from Philippines and Indonesia at various location here early yesterday.
The raiding team comprising nine officers from the Immigration Department led by TPPI Rosminda Pasang and assisted by 45 officers from Battalion 12 PGA Miri raided three locations in the city namely Kampong Lereng Bukit, Piasau and Pujut.
Commanding officer of Battalion 12 PGA Miri Superintendent Tan Hiap Seng yesterday disclosed that the raids were mounted following two weeks intelligence on the locations the immigrants were staying.
“We rounded up 40 illegal immigrants, 35 of them suspected to be the Suluk and the remaining five Indonesian aged between one-year to 53 years.
“All of them were found to be without any valid documents to enter the state.”
Tan in a press conference also disclosed that five of the suspected illegal immigrants were found holding Malaysian identity card believed to be forged documents. The documents are believed to have been bought from a certain agent.
After investigation, the suspects were arrested and detained at the Immigration Detention Deport in Bekenu for further action.
Five of them are believed to be married to locals.
“I believe that the locals who marry them were not aware of their status as they claimed to be from Sabah. They might have been staying here for a long time as they were with grand children during the raid,” Tan added.
Tan believed the immigrants entered the state from Sabah through Lawas and Limbang to seek greener pastures here in Miri.
“The other method is by paying RM1,200 to an agent by boat to Miri. We are now focusing our investigation on the mastermind or those involved in bringing in a mass number of illegal immigrants into Miri,” said Tan.
Believing there are still more immigrants staying illegally in the city, Tan disclosed that they together with other enforcement agencies will continue with operation to flush them out.