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A territory-wide enforcement operation codenamed "Twilight" and joint operations codenamed "Windsand" and "Champion" were mounted by the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Police Force from August 11 to 13 to combat illegal employment activities. A total of 32 illegal workers, one overstayer and four suspected employers were arrested.
During the three-day operation "Twilight", officers of the Immigration Task Force raided 18 target locations including restaurants, a packaging factory, a laundry factory and units under renovation, arresting 23 illegal workers, one overstayer and four suspected employers. Twenty-three illegal workers comprising 11 men and 12 women aged between 15 and 61 were arrested. Among them, five men and one woman were holders of recognisance forms which prohibit employment. Meanwhile, another three women were suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Two men and two women aged between 28 and 50 were suspected of employing the illegal workers.
During operation "Windsand", which was a joint operation between the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Police Force, three Mainland visitors comprising two men and one woman aged between 28 and 42 were arrested for breaching their conditions of stay by being involved in suspected parallel goods trading at Ka Fu Close in Sheung Shui. The goods involved milk powder, food, shampoo, medicine, sterilising products and health-care products during the operation.
During operation "Champion", which was a joint operation between the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Police Force, enforcement officers raided 12 target locations including garbage collection points, a commercial building, markets, newspaper stalls and restaurants. Six illegal workers comprising five men and one woman aged between 31 and 52 were arrested.
Since September 2012, a number of "Windsand" operations have been conducted, during which a total of 1 331 Mainlanders and 14 Hong Kong residents were arrested for suspected involvement in parallel goods trading. Of these, 201 Mainlanders were prosecuted for breach of conditions of stay, while the remaining 1 130 people were repatriated. Among those prosecuted, 192 out of 201 were sentenced to imprisonment for four weeks to three months and charges were withdrawn for another nine people.
"Visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
The spokesman also warned that it is an offence for illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order to take any employment or to establish or join in any business. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases.
The spokesman also warned that it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years' imprisonment.
The spokesman also appealed to employers not to employ illegal workers, warning that it is an offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's identity card or, if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card, his or her valid travel document. The maximum penalty for failing to do so is a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for one year. To deter unlawful employment, the High Court laid down sentencing guidelines in 2004 reaffirming that it is a serious offence to employ someone who is not legally employable, and stating that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
Ends/Thursday, August 14, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:43
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