SANDAKAN: A total of 450 Filipino immigrants were deported to Zamboanga, the Philippines, this morning.
The deportees comprised 254 men, 112 women and 84 children, all of whom were arrested for having no valid immigration documents.
State national security council director Datuk Rodzi Md Saad said the group boarded a ferry from the Sandakan port.
"A total of 300 deportees were from the Papar Temporary Detention Centre, while the others were from the Sibuga detention centre here.
"Thus far since January, we have sent 20,026 illegal immigrants back to their respective countries," he added.
Meanwhile, 59 illegal immigrants were detained during the council 's integrated operation in Keningau district yesterday.
They comprised 41 Filipinos and 18 Indonesians. All detainees were placed at the Papar detention centre.