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Forty-seven suspected illegal workers and employers or persons-in-charge of workplaces were arrested in a series of anti-illegal employment operations conducted jointly by the Labour Department, the Police and the Immigration Department yesterday and today (June 26 and 27).
The enforcement officers raided 59 suspected spots, including interior decoration sites, waste recycling workshops, vehicle repairing workshops, retail shops, eating places, elderly homes and hair salons. A total of 39 suspected illegal workers and eight employers/persons-in-charge of workplaces were arrested in 21 places in various districts of the territory.
Among the 39 illegal workers arrested, 28 were found working in waste recycling workshops. They included 21 valid two-way permit holders, five overstayers from the Mainland, one Chinese who was unable to produce proof of identity, and one Pakistani visitor holding a forged Hong Kong identity card.
For the remaining 11 suspected illegal workers, most of them were found working as sales assistants in retail shops or waiters or cleaners in eating places. All of them were valid two-way permit holders.
The Mainlanders arrested in the operations mainly came from Guangdong and Fujian.
Senior Labour Officer of the Labour Department Mr Ip Yee-cheung said: "Since January this year, the Labour Department has conducted 107 joint operations with other enforcement departments to combat illegal employment.
"Employing illegal workers is a serious offence. Even a first-time offender will be sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Employers should not breach the law," he stressed.
Mr Ip urged the public to report illegal employment to the Labour Department's hotline 2815 2200. All information provided will be handled in strict confidence.
Ends/Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:48
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