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A mainland woman involved in a marriage of convenience was jailed after appearing in Shatin Magistrates' Court today (July 25).
Ruan Yanqing, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts of making false representation to an Immigration officers and one count of conspiracy to defraud. She was given an effective sentence of 18 months.
Ruan was intercepted upon arrival at Lo Wu control point on July 2 this year. She admitted that she had agreed with a middleman to enter into a false marriage in October, 2001, with a Hong Kong resident at a cost of 20,000 renminbi.
She intended to use the false marriage to acquire "90-day visit" endorsements to enter Hong Kong for illegal work. Ruan then made visits to Hong Kong after the "marriage", falsely declaring to the Immigration control officers that she came to visit her resident husband.
"The Immigration Department has been very concerned with non-Hong Kong residents obtaining stay in Hong Kong by means of marriage of convenience," a department spokesman said. "A special task force has been set up to gather intelligence through various avenues and a thorough investigation will be conducted once evidence comes to light. If there is enough evidence, the department will prosecute offenders.
"For people who have obtained their residence in Hong Kong by fraudulent means, their Hong Kong identity card and residence status will be declared invalid according to the laws of Hong Kong. They will also be subject to removal back to their place of origin," the spokesman said.
Under the laws of Hong Kong, anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years.
It is also an offence to make a false representation to immigration officers. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.
Ends/Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:40
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