The suspected illegal immigrants detained in water villages by ESSCom.
KUNAK: Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) nabbed 20 illegal immigrants during Op Gasak at Kampung Kunak 3, here on Thursday.
ESSCom Commander, DCP Datuk Hazani Ghazali in a statement yesterday said the illegal immigrants comprised 15 men and five women aged between 18 and 48. Nineteen of them are from the Philippines while one is from Indonesia.
Hazani said the four-hour operation which ended at 10 am focused on the water villages identified as the hideout of illegal immigrants.
The operation, he said, was aimed at flushing out illegal immigrants and combating cross border crimes including tracing down the suspect involved in fish bombing activities off Kunak waters.
“A total of 158 individuals were brought to the documentation centre for screening and 138 were released while the remaining 20 individuals were detained for not having valid documents and were taken to the Temporary Detention Centre for further action,” he said.
In the meantime, Hazani said that they have also detained two Sea Gypsy (Bajau Laut) men for having equipment believed used in fish bombing activities.
Hazani added that they have seized two detonators and three bottles containing substance from the suspects, who will be investigated under Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1958.