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A 27-year-old former member of the airport ground staff was convicted of one count of conspiracy to obtain services by deception and jailed for three years after appearing in the District Court today (October 18).
The male defendant was involved in two cases of suspected use of a forged passport on October 14 and 29, 2010. The two cases involved a total of three Mainlanders. One of the Mainlanders was suspected of having disguised himself as an elderly Caucasian male by wearing a silicone mask before boarding a Canada-bound flight at the Hong Kong International Airport and subsequently being intercepted in Canada.
"Under the Theft Ordinance, people who, by any deception, dishonestly obtain services from another shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for 10 years," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
The spokesman warned that under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who uses a false travel document commits an offence. It is also an offence to make false representation to immigration officers. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.
Ends/Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:35
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