KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Immigration Department has dismantled a syndicate which was bringing Filipinos into the state illegally.
State Immigration Department director Datuk SH Sitti Saleha Habib Yusoff said the department had known about the syndicate's activities since 2021.
The syndicate smuggled in illegal immigrants, especially Filipinos, with a payment ranging between RM1,500 and RM2,500 per person.
"It used Bakungan Besar island off the Philippines as a transit point before entering the state," she said during a press conference, adding that it takes a 50-minute speedboat ride from there to reach Sandakan.
Sitti was commenting on their Saturday operation around here and Penampang at 4am, which led to the arrest of 11 illegal immigrants — five men, three women, and three children.
The enforcement team found nine people in a four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle, while another three were hiding in the back of the car.
Those arrested, aged between 8 months and 47 years, are now at the Kota Kinabalu Immigration depot awaiting further investigation.
A 26-year-old Malaysian was also caught transporting them in the 4WD vehicle, which was driven from Sandakan at 9.30pm on Jan 26 and arrived here the next day.
Sitti said that the department's intelligence had identified a house in Penampang being used as a transit home for those immigrants before they are trafficked to other locations.
Another three Malaysians were also arrested for suspected involvement in immigrant trafficking, and the car was also seized.
She said among the offences committed by them include not having identity documents, allowing illegal immigrants to enter and stay on the premises, as well as smuggling in illegal immigrants.
"Enforcement operations are carried out continuously to detect, apprehend, prosecute, and deport foreign nationals who violate the country's legal provisions, as stipulated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966, and Immigration Regulations 1963; as well as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
"The department would like to remind the public and employers not to harbour undocumented immigrants, or face legal consequences."