KOTA KINABALU: Undocumented migrants escape the clutches of law enforcement by alerting each other about raids via text messages.
Sabah Immigration Department director Datuk SH Sitti Saleha Habib Yusoff said information sharing gave undocumented foreigners the chance to escape or hide.
"The hilly terrain, muddy conditions and vast area of operation further complicate our operations.
"Foreigners are monitoring enforcement officers, using social media platforms like WhatsApp to spread information about our officers' movements," she said today.
She said during a four-hour operation in Keningau that began at midnight, 159 individuals were inspected and 87 Indonesians and 17 Filipinos were detained for lack of documents or overstaying.
"They include 33 men, 37 women and 34 children and infants aged between 5 months and 83 years.
"The detainees will be taken to the Papar Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation and action."