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Two Canadian couriers and two Mainlanders involved in the transfer of travel documents and boarding passes were sentenced to jail today (December 12).
The four female defendants are 21-year-old Mainlanders Gao Xiuyue and Weng Yanzhen, and Canadians Au An Dao, 42, and Duong Huong Ngoc, 51. Gao and Au were each charged with one count of possession of a false travel document and one count of conspiracy to obtain services by deception. Weng was charged with one count of possession of a false travel document and Duong was charged with one count of conspiracy to obtain services by deception. They all pleaded guilty at the Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today.
Gao and Au were sentenced to six months' and 18 months' jail respectively on each charge, with the sentences to run concurrently. Weng and Duong were sentenced to six months' and 18 months' imprisonment respectively.
The court heard that Immigration investigators intercepted Au at Hong Kong International Airport in November 2005, and found in her possession of a false Canadian passport bearing Duong's name but with someone else's photo.
Immigration investigators followed Duong and Gao into a toilet at the airport. Duong was seen passing a Canadian passport, a sticker for a Japanese airline and a boarding pass to Gao who was in the adjacent cubicle. Immigration investigators stopped the two when they left their cubicles. Gao was found in possession of a false Canadian passport, which bore her own photo but was in Au's name and two boarding passes, which were also belonged to Au.
Gao admitted that a middleman offered her a false document to enter the United States and look for a job. She followed Duong into the toilet where Duong gave her the false Canadian passport, boarding passes and Japanese airline sticker. She was aware that all the particulars inside the Canadian passport, apart from the photo, did not belong to her.
Au admitted that Duong asked her to check in for the flight at the Japanese airline counter and to give the boarding pass to Duong for a third person to use. Duong would give her a free trip and Canadian $2,000 as a reward. Au then passed the boarding pass to Duong and received a Canadian passport in Duong's name from her.
Immigration investigators also intercepted Weng at a boarding gate. She was found in her possession a forged Canadian passport bearing her photo but in another person's identity.
Under the Theft Ordinance, people who, by deception, dishonestly obtain services from another will be guilty of an offence and will be liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for 10 years.
Under the Immigration Ordinance, it is an offence to possess a forged travel document. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.
Ends/Monday, December 12, 2005
Issued at HKT 21:16
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