A total of 232 illegal immigrants were detained under an Integrated Operation headed by the Sabah branch of the National Security Council (NSC) Sabah, which began at 2am on Thursday and ended at 9pm, Friday.

Sabah NSC secretary, Rodzi Md Saad in a statement here today said the number of illegals arrested were out of 595 foreign nationals screened during the operation carried out by the Royal Malaysia Police, Immigration Department, National Registration Department and Kota Kinabalu City Hall.

He said that of the total, 224 were Filipinos and the remaining eight were Indonesians and all were arrested around Kota Kinabalu and Penampang.

"Continuous Integrated Operations will be carried to rid Sabah of foreign nationals residing illegally here and to make it a peaceful and secure state for local residents," he said in a statement here Saturday.

All the detainees, aged between one year and 57, have been sent to the temporary detention centre in Papar pending further investigations.