KOTA KINABALU: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) will conduct an operation to demolish a cluster of huts built in waters off the northern Kudat district.

       The exercise, dubbed Operasi Gasak Laut, will be carried out on Wednesday.

       Esscom commander Deputy Comm Hamzah Ahmad said the unoccupied huts, known as “pondohan” by locals, were detected in Bogo waters near Pulau Bangkawan.

       He said an eviction notice had been issued to facilitate the demolition exercise as such structures were a potential security threat.

       Via air surveillance, he said security forces observed that the number of such huts had sprouted like “mushrooms after rain” in Kudat waters recently.

       “Based on our intelligence, these huts can be potentially used as staging points for cross-border criminals who want to carry out kidnappings, robberies or smuggling in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).

       “We are taking this proactive approach to prevent further illegal structures from being built in the Esszone and exploited by criminal elements,” he said in a statement yesterday.

       He added that the authorities would enforce the law under Section 48(1)(j) of the Sabah Parks Enactment 1984 and the Immigration Act 1959/63, among others, in carrying out the operation.

       Those with information regarding the illegal structures can contact the Esscom operations room at 089-863 181 or send a WhatsApp message to 011-6331 1072.