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The Immigration Department, together with the Hong Kong Police and the Labour Department, arrested 26 people today (February 10) in an operation to combat illegal employment activities.
The operation began at noon. As at 5.30pm, 19 illegal workers and seven employers had been arrested. During the operation, eight Lunar New Year Fair venues in various districts were raided.
The arrested 19 illegal workers - six males and 13 females - are visitors. They were suspected to have breached their condition of stay by engaging in sales and casual work activities.
In addition, seven Hong Kong residents, four males and three females, were arrested for employing illegal workers. Inquiries are being conducted on all of the arrestees.
To step up publicity campaigns against the hiring of people not lawfully employable and to raise public awareness of the serious consequences of unlawful employment, pamphlets were distributed to the public by Immigration Task Force members.
"The Immigration Department will continue its efforts to combat immigration offenders and prosecute employers who hire illegal workers," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:56
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