SANDAKAN: The Sabah marine operations force (MOF) has uncovered the activities of an illegal ‘mini-immigration department’ which facilitated Filipino illegal immigrants to slip into the state.

This followed the arrest of a Filipino couple linked to a syndicate which distributed fake identification documents to the illegals.

Early yesterday, the 45-year-old man and his 59-year-old wife were picked up in raids on two squatter houses in Kampung Forest here about 2am.

Also detained were 81 illegal immigrants from the Philippines, aged between three months and 48 years.

In the raids, a team of MOF officers seized two imitation stamps bearing the seal of the Philippines Immigration Department, several fake documents, including a birth certificate and Malaysian identification document, Philippines passport, an IMM13 visitor’s pass and 24 photographs.

MOF commanding officer ASP Muhammad Sallam Spawi said initial investigations revealed the couple was involved in supplying fake identification documents

to Filipino illegals entering the country through Sandakan.

He said the couple stayed in one of the squatter houses while another was rented out to the illegals.

Both houses were located by the beach.

Muhammad Sallam said the houses served as a transit for illegal immigrants, pending their fake documentation before being moved to another location. — Bernama