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| A man on a bike was among those arrested |
Six suspected illegal workers and one employer were arrested in four days of territory-wide operations by enforcement agents of the Immigration and Labour Departments.
A total of 58 target locations were raided from June 30 to July 3, including premises under renovation, recycling yards, restaurants and retail stoes.
In the first phase of the operation four suspected illegal workers comprising two men and two women, aged 43 to 59, were arrested.
Among them, one man was found to hold a recognizance form, meaning he is applying to ward off deportation while another man and a woman were found to possess fake HKID cards.
One woman aged 52, was arrested on suspicion she had employed the illegal workers.
In a separate operation, two men, aged 32 and 34, were arrested for working illegally. Both hold recognizance forms, which prohibit them from taking employment, whether paid or unpaid.
Torture claimants on recognizance who are found to be working illegally can be jailed for up to three years and fined a maximum of $50,000. The same penalty applies to overstayers and illegal immigrants.
Aiders and abettors will also be prosecuted.
Visitors who violate their condition of stay by working while in Hong Kong face a lesser penalty of up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.
Those found to possess forged HKID cards can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $100,000.
Employers face the harshest penalty of up to $500,000 in fine and imprisonment for 10 years.
An immediate custodial sentence is prescribed for all those engaged in illegal work.
