SEMPORNA: A boat skipper and eight illegal immigrants were detained in an operation in the waters off Kampung Terusan, near here, last Saturday.
A Marine Police Force team was conducting the “Op Taring Gelora Khas” when they spotted and intercepted a suspicious boat at 8.50pm.
Upon inspection, the boat skippered by a 31-year-old man was found carrying 11 individuals.
“Of the 11, seven men and a woman were found to have no valid identification documents, and the boat skipper failed to produce the boat licence,” said Sabah Region Four Marine Commander ACP Ahmad Ariffin.
He said all those detained were taken to Semporna Marine Police Base.
“The boat was travelling from Sitangkai, Philippines and entered Kampung Terusan with 11 individuals who were charged RM300 each to enter Semporna to work,” he added.
All the detained were referred to the Semporna Police Headquarters for further investigation under Section 26 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007.
