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The Hong Kong Immigration Department, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department (GDPSD) and the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau (SMPSB) neutralised an active forgery syndicate which arranged Mainland residents to come to Hong Kong for illegal employment with forged Hong Kong identity cards provided and smashed 11 Hong Kong identity card forgery workshops in a joint operation codenamed "Forestrike" conducted in Guangdong Province and Hong Kong yesterday and today (September 28 and 29) respectively. The operation resulted in the arrest of 11 core syndicate members and the seizure of large quantities of forged documents and forgery equipment, including forged Hong Kong identity cards, home visit permits, other documents, computers, printers, scanners, die cutting machine and laminating machine, etc.
In March 2010, the Hong Kong Immigration Department and the Mainland authorities concerned, through intelligence collection and exchange, detected an active forgery syndicate which not only arranged Mainland residents to come to Hong Kong for illegal employment, but also provided them with forged Hong Kong identity cards to facilitate their job seeking. In accordance with the intelligence collected, the syndicate members recruited Mainlanders who wished to come to Hong Kong for illegal employment from Northeastern Provinces. The "job-seekers" were subsequently arranged to stay in Shenzhen before entering Hong Kong on the strength of their valid travel documents. Initial investigation revealed that the syndicate members not only provided the Mainlanders concerned with hiding places after they had successfully entered Hong Kong, but also accompanied them to open bank accounts for receiving wages from the illegal employment. In addition to the above, they would provide the Mainlanders concerned with forged Hong Kong identity cards for them to cover up their visitor status so as to facilitate their job seeking among restaurants in Hong Kong. In return, the Mainlanders concerned would pay the syndicate a commission for the aforementioned arrangement.
After months of in-depth investigations, the Hong Kong Immigration Department and the Mainland authorities mounted the large-scale joint operation in Hong Kong and on the Mainland in a bid to combat the syndicate.
During the operation, the Hong Kong Immigration Department deployed more than 100 officers to raid a total of 12 target areas, including 6 dwelling places and 6 working places. Thirteen males and 13 females, aged between 26 and 56 were arrested for various offences, including making false representation to Immigration officers, using and in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards, employing persons not lawfully employable, breach of condition of stay, etc. Of the arrested suspects, 14 are Mainland residents, 3 are former foreign domestic helpers and 9 people are suspected to have employed the illegal workers. Most of the Mainland residents came from Northeastern Provinces, such as Heilongjiang, Jilin, etc. Of the arrested former foreign domestic helpers, one of them is a holder of recognisance form who is pending for torture claim assessment. In addition, a number of documents and instruments were seized, including 15 forged Hong Kong identity cards, 17 forged Hong Kong identity card copies and about 10 bankbooks.
In the operation undertaken on the Mainland, around 150 law enforcement officers were deployed by the GDPSD and the SMPSB to raid 16 target areas and 31 persons were arrested. Of the 31 arrestees, 11 are core syndicate members. Besides, Mainland law enforcement officers also seized more than 200 forged documents, including Hong Kong identity cards, home visit permits and other documents. Moreover, various forgery equipment including computers, printers, scanners, die cutting machine, laminating machine, etc were seized from the 11 forgery workshops.
Preliminary estimation indicated that the syndicate raked in up to RMB$3 million from the illicit acts.
The Immigration Department spokesman said the joint operation had successfully neutralised the forgery syndicate which operated actively in Hong Kong and on the Mainland. The Hong Kong Immigration Department will continue to cooperate with various law enforcement agencies to combat cross-boundary criminal activities.
Under the laws of Hong Kong, it is an offence to make a false representation to Immigration officers. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of HK$150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.
Anyone who uses or has in his custody or possession a forged identity card commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and 10 years' imprisonment.
Moreover, visitors are not allowed to take up employment, whether paid or unpaid, without the prior permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and two years' jail. Besides, any person who is the employer of an employee who is not lawfully employable commits an offence and is liable to a fine of HK$350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
Ends/Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 22:12
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