21 FOREIGN WOMEN RESCUE IN TAWAU

VICTIM.....Among the victims of human trafficking rescued by the Immigration Department.

By : SANDRA SOKIAL

TWENTY-ONE women, believed to be victims of human trafficking, were rescued by the State Immigration Department under a special operation codenamed Ops Sayang in Tawau on Tuesday.

The victims were rescued from lodging houses around the district, said the Department’s Director, Mohammad Mentek.

“Those rescued comprise 10 Indonesians and a Filipina, aged between 20 and 30.

“They were smuggled into the state through Tawau before hidden at several lodging houses in the districts,” he said, adding the women were currently detained under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007 to facilitate investigation.

In another development, four men, including a one-year-old baby, were arrested for committing offences under the Immigration Act.

“They were apprehended together during an operation at an unnumbered house in a plantation area at Mile 12, Apas Road, Tawau around 10am, after failing to produce valid travel documents,” he said.

Mohammad said the plantation owner was ordered to vacate the area for encroaching into the government land.

The operation was carried out jointly with the police and Sabah Agriculture Department,

Another 10 Indonesians and six Filipinos were detained in four other separate raids in Tawau carried out on the same day for failing to produce valid documents.

Mohammad said similar operation would be carried out from time to time to round up illegal immigrants in the state.

He added that the operations were conducted following public tip-off. (theborneopost)