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| Immigration officers display the items they seized from suspected illegal workers |
A week-long operation across Hong Kong to flush out illegal workers resulted in the arrest of 20 people.
The raids that involved
operatives from the Immigration Department, the HK Police, Food and
Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services
Department targeted multiple locations like restaurants, hair salons and retail
stores and lasted from September 4 1to 10.
Seventeen suspected
illegal workers, one suspected employer and two overstayers were arrested.
The suspected illegal workers comprised 10 men and seven women, aged 24 to 50.
Four of the men held recognizance forms that allowed them to remain in Hong Kong to challenge deportation, but not work.
Two of women were found in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards, which they are suspected to have used to get jobs.
The two overstayers were both women aged 38 and 50.
A man, aged 51, was suspected of employing the illegal workers and was also arrested. Immigration said an investigation into his operation is ongoing, and further arrests are possible.
Visitors, contract workers and foreign domestic helpers who are caught engaged in illegal work face up to two years in jail and a maximum fine of HK$50,000.
The jail term goes up to three years if the illegal worker is an overstayer, asylum seeker or illegal immigrant.
Anyone found in possession of fake HK identity cards could be imprisoned for up to 10 years and fined a maximum amount of HK$100,000.
Employers of illegal workers face the most severe penalty of up to HK$500,000 in fines and imprisonment for 10 years.
