The team intercepted two vehicles at Kampung Batu Payung ferrying 13 paperless individuals who had just entered the country undetected by boat.

They also apprehended the two local drivers, aged 28, who had picked up the migrants.

“The migrants confessed that they had just landed through an illegal route from Sungai Nyamuk in Indonesia,” Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) commander Ahmad Fuad Othman said.

He said the two drivers admitted picking up the group after they came ashore.

Fuad said the village chief had contacted the Esscom team, which was involved in Op Cegah Pati, to inform them about the arrests.

The border security team rushed to the scene and found the 13 migrants, comprising seven men, five women and a child, aged between two and 49, who were without personal documents.

They were brought to the district police station for further investigation under the Immigration Act.

Fuad urged the public to continue to be on the lookout for such illegal migrants.