Sabah immigration nabs 65 foreigners in raids on kongsi houses

 

Immigration personnel rounding up the immigrants in the operation in Ranau earlier today. (Sabah immigration dept pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Immigration personnel detained 65 foreigners and their family members in a series of raids at kongsi houses in the Ranau district early today.

Deputy home affairs minister (II) Jonathan Yassin said they included 15 women and 22 children. They were among 173 individuals screened during the operation.

He said the operation, starting at midnight, was launched following complaints from the public.

He said many of them did not have valid passports and some had dubious travel permits and expired work passes.

Some of the foreigners screened during the operation did not have valid passports and work permits on them. (Sabah immigration dept pic)

“The operation was also aimed at employers suspected of hiring or harbouring undocumented migrants, and syndicates bringing in such migrants into the country,” Jonathan said in a statement.

He said strict health screening, including for Covid-19, was carried out on all those rounded up before they were sent to the immigration depots, in line with the health ministry’s SOPs.

Jonathan said the Sabah immigration department had held 601 operations so far this year, arresting 1,061 undocumented migrants.

“We’ve charged 34 employers and 1,739 foreigners have been deported to their countries of origin so far this year,” he added. - FMT