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The Immigration Department yesterday (June 9) arrested 13 illegal workers and two people suspected to have employed them during a territory-wide anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Twilight".
Operation Twilight began at 7am and ended at 10.45pm yesterday. Immigration Task Force officers raided 15 target locations in various districts including restaurants, stalls, a foreign exchange shop, residential units under decoration and garbage depots. In this operation, 13 illegal workers and two employers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised nine men and four women aged between 24 and 52. Among them, one man was suspected to be in possession of suspected forged Hong Kong identity cards.
"Visitors are not allowed to take up employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for two years," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
The spokesman also warned that it was an offence in law to use or possess a forged identity card. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and imprisonment for 10 years.
The spokesman also appealed to employers not to employ illegal workers, warning that it was an offence to employ people who were not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years. To deter unlawful employment, the High Court laid down a sentencing guideline in 2004 reaffirming that it was a serious offence to employ someone who was not legally employable, and the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
Ends/Thursday, June 10, 2010
Issued at HKT 14:12
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