SANDAKAN: More than 100 personnel from various Sabah-based enforcement agencies rounded up 40 illegal immigrants in a half-day operation in Kampung Mangkalinau, Batu 3, here today.
Fourteen people were detained for entering and staying in the country illegally, while 26 others were for possessing suspicious-looking identification and travel documents.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Zabidi Mohd Zain said the suspects were picked up at the village at 3am, in the integrated operation under Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).
Enforcement personnel involved were from Energy Commission, police, state utility company, Armed Forces, General Operations Force, Customs Department and district council.
"The 14 men and 12 women with dubious personal documents have been taken to a temporary detention centre for further investigation.
"The local council has also issued two notices for demolition and compounded the house owners for failing to provide business licences," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, he said the state utility company also confiscated about 212.5kg of electrical wires and cables used for illegal connection.
Zabidi added that more operations would be conducted to flush out illegal immigrants in the state.