21 arrested in anti-illegal worker operations

 

Immigration officers escort one of those arrested

Twenty-one people were arrested in anti-illegal worker operations by Immigration Department (ImmD) on multiple target locations including restaurants, warehouses and massage parlours last Feb. 16 to 26.

During the operations, ImmD officers arrested 19 suspected illegal workers and two suspected employers.

The arrested workers comprised nine men and 10 women, aged 33 to 58. Among them, three men and two women were holding recognizance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment.

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Arrested as employers were two men, aged 48 and 56.

The investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

The arrests were made in a series of territory-wide operations codenamed "Lightshadow", a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department codenamed "Flabbergast", and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" and "Windsand".

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"Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties," ImmD said.

"As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business.” it added.

“Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years."

36 persons rounded up in latest anti-illegal worker drive

Immigration officers escort suspected illegal workers after arrest.

The Immigration Department (ImmD) rounded up 36 persons in its latest anti-illegal worker operations.

Those arrested consisted of 24 suspected illegal workers, nine suspected employers and three suspected aiders and abettors.

The arrests resulted from ImmD’s territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations, as well as joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the  Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Hong Kong Customs, from Feb. 6 to Feb. 15.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

During the anti-illegal worker operations at various Lunar New Year fairs, ImmD officers raided multiple stalls at the events and arrested 12 suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers.

The workers comprised four men and eight women, aged 18 to 52. They were found selling goods at the stalls.

Two men and four women, aged 33 to 49, were suspected of employing them.

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Apart from mounting enforcement operations, ImmD deployed a promotional vehicle and ImmD officers to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message to Lunar New Year fair stall owners and other retailers across the territory.

In other anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, retail stores and garages etc. and arrested 12 suspected illegal workers, comprising three men and nine women, aged 20 to 54.

Among them, two men and two women were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment, with one woman also being suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card.

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The arrested workers were found performing dishwashing, garage mechanic and goods loading duties.

Two men and one woman, aged 35 to 65, were arrested for employing the illegal workers. Furthermore, the suspected aiders and abettors arrested were three men aged 42 to 45.

An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

2 Filipinos convicted of working illegally in Kwai Chung jailed for 22.5 months

 

The defendants and their supporters leave Shatin Court after a hearing last year

The last of two of the seven Filipinos who were hauled to court last year for working in a cargo handling warehouse in Kwai Chung. were found guilty today at Shatin Court of breaching their condition of stay and were each sentenced to 22 months and 15 days in prison.

Junipher Sambalod  and Marcelino Guisinga Jr. who both hold recognizance papers which did not allow them to take up work in Hong Kong, were convicted by Magistrate Raymond Wong despite pleading not guilty to the charge. 

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Sambalod, 41 years old, and Guisinga, 44, were convicted of taking employment while being a person in respect of whom a removal order is in force, contrary to sections 38AA(1)(b) and 38AA(2) of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115).

They were each accused of doing odd jobs in the Kwai Chung warehouse on March 4, 2025 while a removal order was in force  against them.

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Of the seven who were arrested at the same time, one 60-year-old domestic worker was able to walk free from court after pleading guilty to illegal work and agreeing to be bound over for $1,500 over 12 months.

But R. Sarabia was still ordered to pay costs of $500 to be deducted from his $1,000 bail.

DETAILS HERE

Four of their co-accused all pleaded guilty earlier to working illegally and were each sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.

The four -- Julie Arcega Jr., 34 years old, Aris Pareja, 50, Christian Mendame, 43, and Joel Lorente, 46 -- pleaded guilty to violating Section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

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Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong handed them their respective sentences after deducting one third for their guilty pleas.

In a statement issued on March 5 last year, the Immigration Department announced it had arrested nine persons in an anti-illegal work operation conducted by its agents in Kwai Chung eight of whom were Filipinos.

The eighth Filipino was a female overstayer while the ninth was a 51-year-old male Hong Kong resident who was suspected of employing the Filipinos.

Overstaying Pinay who suffered stroke gets bound over for overstaying

 

A 64-year-old Filipina charged with breach of condition of stay for overstaying for almost two years, walked free today from the Shatin Court after the charge was dropped because the prosecution offered no evidence against her.

Instead, A, Agustin was bound to a promise not to commit any criminal offense for one year, otherwise she will be fined $1,500. She was also charged $500 for court costs.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Magistrate Raymond Wong explained that the bind-over will not leave her with a criminal record in Hong Kong.

DETAILS HERE

A source said the prosecutors did not pursue Agustin’s prosecution after finding out that she suffered a stroke while working as a domestic helper. She now walks with a cane.

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She was terminated on Dec. 31, 2023 and was given two weeks to leave Hong Kong. However, she stayed on under the care of a charity operating a home for the aged, so she could get rehabilitation treatment.

The Immigration Department filed a complaint last Nov. 3, 2025 for breach of condition of stay, contrary to section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

High Court rejects 5 Pinoys’ asylum appeals

The High Court 

Five Filipinos who appealed to the High Court the disapproval of their claims to non-refoulement, or against being sent back to their countries of origin, found out last week that their fear of personal harm was not enough to give them asylum in Hong Kong.

In separate decisions, the High Court rejected appeals for judicial review of the following:

• Mary Ann Siervo, who sought refuge in Hong Kong after she overstayed when she did not leave as required when her contract as domestic helper expired on Dec. 27, 2021. She claimed she feared she would be harmed or killed by her abusive husband over their domestic disputes if she returned to the Philippines.

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• Jenelyn Tecson, who overstayed after her DH contract as terminated on March 2, 2021, and was arrested on April 21, 2021. She claimed she would be harmed or killed by her boyfriend over her affair with another man in Hong Kong.  
• Jecel  Gardose, who stayed after the completion of her employment contract on 27 March 2021, and surrendered to the Immigration Department on July 19, 2021. She claimed that if she returned to the Philippines she would be harmed or killed by her former boyfriend for leaving him and ending their relationship.
• Charles Johnson Macasulot, who did not leave after termination of his work contract, and claimed that he will be harmed or killed by his father-in-law if he returned to the Philippines because he had an extra-marital affair with another woman in Hong Kong.

PINDUTIN DITO

• Pinic Anita, who overstayed after termination of her employment contract and surrendered later to the Immigration Department, where she lodged a non-refoulement claim on the basis that she will be harmed or killed by a creditor because she was unable to repay her debt. 

All five were appealing the decision of the Torture Claims Appeal Board, which sided with the decision of the Immigration Department to junk their applications because they did not meet the requirements of the internationally-accepted Unified Screening Mechanism to screen refugees.

These requirements are risk of torture, risk to right to life, risk of torture or inhuman treatment and risk of persecution “on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”

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The Board rulings were one in searching for “real risks” in the applications and found none. The five High Court decisions concurred with the rulings.

Deputy High Court Judge Bruno Chan in the first three cases asserted: “… in the absence of any error of law or procedural unfairness in her process before the Board or in its decision being clearly and properly identified by the Applicant, I do not find any reasonably arguable basis to challenge the finding of the Board.”

Added Deputy High Court Judge K.W. Lung: “The role of this Court is supervisory, meaning that it ensures that the Board complied with the public law requirements in coming to the Board’s Decision on the applicant’s appeal.  The Court will not usurp the fact-finding power vested in the (Immigration) Director and the Board.”

Pinoy DH gets suspended sentence for illegal work

 

2 other Filipinos charged with working illegally in a warehouse are on trial at Shatin court

A 60-year-old Filipino domestic worker was bound over for $1,500 over 12 months after pleading guilty to illegal work as he was due to stand trial at Sha Tin court starting today, Monday.

But while he managed to walk free from court, Rodrigo Sarabia was ordered to pay costs of $500 to be deducted from his $1,000 bail.

Two other Filipinos who were charged with him maintained their innocence as their trial began before Magistrate Raymond Wong.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Junipher R. Sambalod, 41 years old and Marcelino G. Guisinga, Jr., 44, are out on bail of $10,000 cash and $10,000 surety each, pending the outcome of their trial which is due to end on Thursday.

The three were among seven Filipinos arrested on March 4 last year on suspicion of working illegally in a cargo company in Kwai Chung.

Six of those arrested were asylum seekers and were charged with “taking employment while being a person in respect of whom a removal order is in force.”

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Sarabia, who was the only one on domestic worker visa, was charged with breaching his condition of stay.

Four of their co-accused all pleaded guilty earlier to working illegally and were each sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.

In a statement issued on March 5 last year, the Immigration Department announced it had arrested nine persons in an anti-illegal work operation conducted by its agents in Kwai Chung  eight of whom were Filipinos.

The eighth Filipino was a female overstayer while the ninth was a 51-year-old male Hong Kong resident who was suspected of employing the Filipinos.

The Immigration statement said the eight suspects were caught while performing transporting and wrapping duties in a unit of the industrial building.

The maximum penalty for illegal work is between two and three years in jail and fine of up to $50,000.

 

10 people arrested in latest anti- illegal work sweep

 

One of 8 suspected illegal workers who were arrested it this man

The recent holidays did not stop Immigration officers launching a series of anti-illegal work operations, which resulted in the arrest of 10 people.

A statement from Immigration said the suspects were arrested in joint operations with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Leisure and Cultural Services Department from Dec 24, 2025 to yesterday, Jan. 1.

Immigration said among the targeted venues were renovation flats, exhibition venues and retail stores.

DETAILS HERE

Eight of those arrested were suspected of carrying out illegal work. They comprised six men and four women, aged 23 to 64.

Two were employers. Their investigation is ongoing, and immigration said further arrests could not be ruled out.

Anyone who takes up work in violation of their visa condition like tourists and domestic helper face a maximum sentence of two years in prison and $50,000 in fine.

Those found to have employed illegal workers could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to $500,000.

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Separately, if the employer failed to inspect a jobseeker’s travel document if he/she does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card, could also be charged with violating immigration laws. 

If the charge is proven the accused will face a maximum sentence $150,000 in fine and imprisonment for up to a year.

 To report illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

 

Immigration removes 77 asylum seekers

Those removed are escorted directly to the planes that flew them back home

The Immigration Department has sent back a total of 77 asylum seekers, legally classified as non-refoulement claimants (or those seeking to remain in Hong Kong) over five consecutive days - from Dec 15 to 19.

T

DETAILS HERE

hose repatriated were classified as unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants who were either illegal immigrants or overstayers. Included among them were discharged prisoners who had committed criminal offences and were sent to jail.

The removed persons comprised 38 men and 39 women.

Some removed persons are loaded onto a van before they are sent home

Under the updated removal policy which took effect on Dec 7, 2022, Immigration may in general proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review application has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance, even if an appeal was immediately lodged.

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Immigration says it remains committed to speeding up repatriation, and has been closely working with governments of major source countries, airline companies and other government departments to remove from Hong Kong all unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants as soon as practicable.

Filipina detained for allegedly making child pornography

 

Tuen Mun Court

A Filipina domestic helper has been returned to jail custody after appearing at Tuen Mun Courts today, charged with making child pornography.

E. Chua, 44 years old, will be detained until the next hearing scheduled for Dec. 1 by Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang.

Information filed by the Tuen Mun Police last July 7 alleged that Chua made “child pornography, namely, one video of girl Y masturbating, two videos of boy X masturbating and being nude, one video of boy X peeing and girl Y showing her chest and two pictures of boy X being nude.”

DETAILS HERE

The pornography was made on an “unknown date between the 19th day of November 2022 and the 04th day of July 2025” in a flat in Blossom Garden, on Leung Tak Street, New Territories, police added.

Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Child/Pornography Ordinance, under which Chua is charged, states:

“Any person who prints, makes, produces, reproduces, copies, imports or exports any child pornography commits an offence and is liable—

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“(a) on conviction on indictment to a fine of $2,000,000 and to imprisonment for 8 years; or

“(b) on summary conviction to a fine of $1,000,000 and to imprisonment for 3 years.

13 overstayers among 45 people arrested in illegal work sweep

 

The week-long operation netted one of the biggest groups of illegal workers

Thirteen overstaying former domestic helpers and one who came in as tourist were among 45 people arrested in the latest anti-illegal work operations by the Immigration Department.

An Immigration Department statement said that in one of their joint operations with the Labour Department, it was discovered that FDHs whose contracts were prematurely terminated had been overstaying while taking up illegal employment.

“After a thorough investigation and intelligence analysis, the ImmD successfully identified and raided multiple target locations, including restaurants and food production plants,” said the statement.

DETAILS HERE

Independent media reports said most of those arrested were from Indonesia.

The week-long operation from Nov 14 to 20 netted a total of 33 suspected illegal workers, 10 employers and two non-FDH overstayers. The round-ups were conducted with help from the Labour Department and the police.

According to Immigration, in the first batch of raids, those arrested on suspicion of illegally taking up jobs comprised one man and 23 women who were found working as dishwashers, cleaners and kitchen workers.

One of the suspects is caught in the act during a restaurant raid

The suspected illegal workers comprised one man and 23 women, aged 22 to 52. Apart from the 15 overstaying ex-FDHs, 10 others held recognizance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment taking any employment in Hong Kong.

In separate covert operations that targeted multiple locations like massage parlours, renovation flats and retail stores, nine suspected illegal workers comprising seven men and two women aged 37 to 60 were arrested. Two men and one woman in the group were found to possess fake HK identity cards.

Also taken in for questioning were two local female residents aged 52 and 65, who were suspected of having employed the illegal workers.

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Immigration said an investigation into the suspected illegal employers in ongoing, and further arrests cannot be ruled out.

Under the Immigration Ordinance, those who violate their visa conditions by taking up unauthorized work can be jailed for up to two years and fined a maximum of 500,000. The jail term extends to three years in cases where the offender is an overstayer, illegal immigrant, or subject to deportation.

Employers of illegal workers face a maximum penalty of P100,000 fine and up to 10 years in jail.

An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

 

 

 

FDHs targeted in Immigration’s latest anti-illegal work raids

 

All the workers arrested were all women working in restaurants or guesthouses

A total of 16 people were arrested in anti-illegal work operations conducted by the Immigration Department that targeted foreign domestic helpers working mainly in restaurants or guesthouses.

Arrested over three days, from Oct. 12 to 14, were ten suspected illegal workers aged 26 to 43, and six employers aged 41 to 63.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The 10 workers were all women. Five are current helpers, three were former helpers who had overstayed their visas, one visitor, and one imported worker.

Immigration said most of the suspected illegal workers were found working at restaurants or guesthouses doing dishwashing, cleaning and other odd jobs.

The employers were locals comprising five men and one woman.

An immigration officer displays the items seized during the operations

Immigration reminded the public that FDHs should only perform domestic duties for their contractual employer as listed in the "Schedule of Accommodation and Domestic Duties" attached to the employment contract.

“The helper should not take up any other employment, including part-time domestic duties, with any other person. The employer should not require or allow the helper to carry out any work for any other person," the Immigration statement said.

Basahin ang detalye!

Anyone who violates a condition of stay in their visas, including FDHs and tourists who are not allowed to take up any work in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, are guilty of an offence.

The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment.

If the illegal worker is an illegal immigrant, a person subject to a removal or deportation order os is a overstayer, face a maximum penalty of three years in jail, and fine of up to $50,000.

Employers who hired a person who is not lawfully employable could be jailed for up to 10 years, and fined a maximum of $500,000. Under sentencing guidelines imposed by the High Court, an immediate custodial sentence is prescribed for an offending employer.

The director, manager, secretary, partner or any officer of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability.

The sentencing guidelines require all employers to take “all practicable steps” to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. This means that apart from inspecting a job applicant’s identity card, the employer is also duty-bound to make enquiries to ensure the lawful employability of the person.

If the jobseeker does not have a permanent HK identity card the employer is required to inspect the applicant’s valid travel document to ensure compliance with the law. Failure to do this would make the employer liable to pay a maximum fine of $150,000 and could be jailed for up to a year.

Immigration warned employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers, saying it will continue “to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.”

 

Pinay jailed 6 months for almost $1m that passed through her bank account

 

File photo posted by another Filipina who was earlier convicted of money laundering

A Filipina domestic helper will spend the next six months in jail for allowing the use of her bank account in money laundering.

In a hearing at Kwun Tong Court Monday (Oct. 13), Acting Principal Magistrate Leung Ka-kie handed the sentence to Lea Callo, 32 years old, who pleaded guilty to the offense in an earlier hearing.

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Callo was convicted of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence,” in violation of sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

The charge arose from the $937,789.50 in crime proceeds that flowed in and out of her Bank of China account between May 24 and Oct. 26, 2022.

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The police had accused her of dealing in property that “in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represented any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence.”

Overstaying Pinay gets 5-day suspended prison sentence

She was under administrative detention for 37 days

A Filipina who lost her job as a domestic helper four years ago but stayed on in Hong Kong illegally, thus breaching her condition of stay, has received a combined sentence of five days for two counts of overstaying, suspended for 12 months.

Pindutin para sa detalye

But this does not mean that Prynne Montino, 42 years old, got off lightly after pleading guilty at Shatin Court on Thursday (Oct. 9),.

Before she was brought to court, Montino had been under “administrative detention” by the Immigration Department for 37 days.

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong deducted these detention days from the 21-day imprisonment he meted for each of the charges. For the 5 days left, he ordered that Montino not be detained unless she reoffends in the next 12 months.

The first breach of condition of stay charge arose from Montino staying on until he was arrested on March 14, 2022, one year and three months after the two-week deadline for her to leave following the termination of her contract on Jan. 2, 2021.

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However, she could not be reached when sought again on July 21, 2022, resulting in her being charged with a similar case, in violation of section 41 of the Immigration Ordnance.

The second charge said that she overstayed between July 21, 2022 and Jan. 30, 2024.

During her overstay, Montino applied for non-refoulment, seeking to prevent the Hong Kong government from forcibly sending her back to the Philippines, resulting in her being issued a recognizance form as her identity document.