 |
| Some of those arrested are herded onto an Immigration van |
A four-day operation targeting foreign domestic helpers working illegally resulted in 20 people being arrested, though only one turned out to be a current helper.
Of those arrested in the raids carried out from
January 3 to 6, 12 were suspected of working illegally while the other eight
were locals who employed them.
The suspected illegal workers comprised three men
and nine women, aged 24 to 60, and were either Filipinos or Indonesians.
 |
| Basahin ang detalye! |
Apart from the currently employed FDH, two were former
FDHs who had overstayed their visas, three held recognizance documents that
prevent them from taking any job, one was a visitor, and five were overstaying
visitors.
The eight suspected employers on the other hand,
comprised seven men and one woman aged 30 to 68, and included persons who managed
the companies or restaurants involved.
According to Immigration investigators, the suspected
illegal workers were found working in restaurants, a guesthouse and a food plant,
doing such odd jobs as dishwashing, cleaning, or handling food for
distribution.
 |
| Some of the items seized in the first anti-illegal work operation in 2026 |
Special mention was made of five
Indonesians aged 24 to 52, who were found working illegally in a food factory
in Kwai Chung, where they were each paid a mere $200 a day.
The plant was said to have functioned as a food supply
chain for a restaurant specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine, and was staffed
entirely by low-paid illegal workers to cut down on costs.
Immigration said its investigation is continuing,
and further arrests may be made.
It also reiterated that illegal work is a serious
offence in Hong Kong for which a jail term is inevitably imposed.
Employers of illegal workers face the heftiest
sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000. All employers are
obliged by law to determine as far as practicable whether a job applicant is
qualified to work in Hong Kong.
Under sentencing guidelines issued by the High Court,
an immediate custodial sentence is inevitable for anyone found to have employed
illegal workers.
Those who violated their visa conditions by taking up
unauthorized work can be sentenced for up to two years in prison and fined
$50,000. The maximum prison sentence goes up to three years if the offender is
an illegal immigrant or an overstayer.
