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Four Mainlanders received jail sentences at the District Court today (November 18) for conspiracy to possess forged Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passports and forged Hong Kong identity cards, an Immigration spokesman said.
The courier, Liu Shiquan, was charged with one count of possession of forged travel documents and one count of possession of forged identity cards. He was convicted of the offences and was sentenced to three years and nine months' imprisonment on each charge, sentences to run concurrently.
The other two male and one female defendants were Chen Nengquan, Li Song and Chen Yunfang. They were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess a forged travel document and one count of conspiracy to possess a forged identity card.
Chen Nengquan and Li Song pleaded guilty to all their charges. They each received 18 months' imprisonment on each charge, sentences to run concurrently. The female defendant Chen Yunfang was convicted of her offences. She was jailed for 21 months on each charge, sentences to run concurrently.
Immigration investigators and police officers mounted a surveillance exercise at the Hong Kong International Airport in June and intercepted Liu. He was found in possession of three forged HKSAR passports and three forged identity cards bearing the other three defendants' photos and in their identities. Liu admitted to having shown the forged HKSAR passports to the other three defendants in May and that he knew they were all Mainlanders.
The other three defendants were subsequently intercepted and they admitted they intended to go to the United States to seek work. Defendants Chen Nengquan and Li Song admitted having looked at their respective forged HKSAR passports. Chen Nengquan, though denying having looked at her HKSAR passport, said she knew she would be given a passport with a blue cover for entering the US.
Under the laws of Hong Kong, anyone who possesses a false travel document commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.
It is also an offence to be in possession of a forged identity card. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for 10 years.
Ends/Friday, November 18, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:20
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