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| Immigration officers escort illegal workers they arrested. |
A domestic helper caught working as a waitress in a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsi, was jailed for two months after she pleaded guilty today at Shatin Court to breach of condition of stay.
Gemma Soto, 49 years old, was arrested last June 19 in one of
the operations conducted by the Immigration Department against illegal
employment from May 19 to June 23.
Soto was granted a visa last June 8 to remain in Hong Kong and
work as a domestic helper in an address specified in her employment contract,
with the condition that she will not accept any other employment.
After she was arrested in a Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant, she
was charged with violation of section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance “by virtue
of Regulation 2 of the Immigrtion Regulations.”
Soto was one of 89 arrested for illegal work during the surprise
inspections and enforcement actions, with the Immigration Department targeting
industries prone to involvement with illegal employment, such as catering,
cleaning and renovation sectors.
ImmD investigators conducted raids at 815 targeted locations across various districts in Hong Kong, resulting in the arrest of 89 illegal workers, 31 employers and three aiders and abettors.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Among those arrested, 58 persons have been prosecuted for offences under the Immigration Ordinance, with 46 persons sentenced to prison terms ranging from 54 days to 22 months.
The arrested illegal workers, aged between 21 and 67,
comprised 45 non-ethnic Chinese persons (21 men and 24 women, including 14 men
and nine women holding recognisance forms prohibiting them from taking any
employment) and 44 Mainlanders (12 men and 32 women).
Among the illegal workers arrested, 18 persons were
suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards,
while three persons were suspected of using and being in possession of another
person's identity card.
In a statement, the ImmD said it has long been highly
vigilant against the problem of illegal employment and has taken vigorous and
effective enforcement actions.
During an operation targeting the catering industry, ImmD
investigators employed strategies including decoy operations at targeted
restaurants, and conducted focused investigations at popular gathering spots
for food delivery riders across multiple districts. A total of 60 illegal
workers related to the catering industry were arrested, including dishwashers,
kitchen workers, waiters, waitresses and food delivery riders.
Furthermore, the ImmD conducted operations at housing
estates and premises under renovation across various districts, arresting 14
illegal workers engaged in renovation and cleaning work. Additionally, 34 Hong
Kong residents (18 men and 16 women) were arrested for suspected involvement in
employing illegal workers or aiding and abetting others in breaching their conditions
of stay in Hong Kong.
