Make-up artist among 5 arrested in anti-illegal work operations

 

A suspected illegal worker is taken away for questioning

After cracking down on foreign domestic helpers providing massage and manicure services, Immigration officers are now on the lookout for foreigners offering make-up services.

A Mainland woman who offered her make-up services through online advertisements was among five people arrested in the latest week-long operation mounted by the Immigration Department to counter illegal work.

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Officers disguised as customers contacted the 27-year-old makeup artist to book her services, then arrested her during a sting operation.

Four other suspected illegal workers and one suspected aider and abettor were arrested in the citywide operations that targeted restaurants, retail stores, flats under renovation and other places, from March 20 to 26.

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The suspected illegal workers comprised one man and two women, aged 35 to 37. The man was reportedly found with a forged HK identity card.

Another man aged 31 was also arrested on suspicion of abetting the illegal employment.

Illegal work is a serious offence in Hong Kong, for which the maximum sentence that may be imposed is two years in jail and a fine of HK$50,000. Visitors and workers under foreign domestic helper visas fall under this category.

If the worker committed other violations, like overstaying a visa or holding a non-refoulement document that prohibits employment in Hong Kong, the maximum jail term is three years in jail.

Aiders and abettors are similarly punished under Hong Kong laws.

Those found in possession of fake identity documents face the more severe penalty of imprisonment for up to 10 years.

 

Concern raised about FDHs’ ‘abuse’ of non-refoulement scheme

 

All those repatriated were former DHs who overstayed, with some committing crimes

Hong Kong Immigration has expressed concern about what it called as the “abuse” of the non-refoulement claim mechanism by foreign domestic helpers as it announced Friday the repatriation of 18 unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants.

Immigration said in the statement that all those repatriated between March 18 to 20 were former FDHs who had overstayed their visas. Among them were former prisoners who had served their sentences after committing criminal offences.

“The ImmD is very concerned about the abuse of the non-refoulement claim mechanism and is aware that a number of claimants were former foreign domestic helpers before,” said the statement.

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“The ImmD has been co-operating with the relevant consulates-general in Hong Kong and will continue such co-operation to step up publicity and education for newly arriving foreign domestic helpers to help them understand that they should not abuse the non-refoulement claim mechanism.”

To forestall their return to their home countries after overstaying, the FDHs filed claims for non-refoulement or against being sent back home, saying they faced torture or persecution if they returned.

Once non-refoulement applications are lodged with the Immigration Director, repatriation cannot be carried out until a final decision is reached. If denied, the applicant could appeal, first with the Torture Claims Adjudication Board, then to the courts, a process that could take years.

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In the meantime, applicants are provided by the government with food and accommodation subsidies but are not allowed to take up work. A big number end up working illegally or resorting to crime during this period.

To prevent an abuse of the process, Immigration updated its removal policy starting from Dec 7, 2022 which allowed it to generally proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance, despite the availability of appeal.

In its statement, Immigratio said it will continue to explore solutions to speed up the repatriation of unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants and coordinate with relevant authorities to “optimise repatriation routes and the operation process.”

Those being consulted on further speeding up repatriation are the major source countries of non-refoulement claimants, airline companies and other government departments.

 

3 Pinays charged with illegal work bound over

 

Entrance to Mirador Mansion (Google Maps photo)

Three Filipina domestic helpers who were arrested during the Immigration Department’s anti-illegal worker operations, got off lightly at Shatin Court today when they agreed to a bind-over in return for prosecution withdrawing the charges.

J. Luya, 33 years old, N. Celades, 34, and S. Mercurio, 39, were each charged with breach of condition of stay, contrary to section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance and by virtue of Regulation 2 of the Immigration Regulations.

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong cautioned them that they have to avoid committing a new offense for 18 months, or they will be fined $2,000 in addition to being given the penalty for the new offense.

He also charged them $500 each as court costs, to be taken from their bail money.

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The three were arrested last Feb. 3 for allegedy doing odd jobs at the 5^th floor of Mirador Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Under the Immigration Ordinance , domestic helpers doing work not in their employers’ homes are committing an offense punishable with a fine of $50,000 and imprsonment for two years.

The three were arrested in the joint operation between Immigration and Home Affairs and Labour Departments in multiple locations, including targeted guesthouses in Yau Tsim Mong District.

Seven persons were arrested including six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer.

The three domestic helpers were allegedly found performing room cleaning duties in the guesthouses.

The remaining three illegal workers were illegal odd job workers including two men holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment in Hong Kong and an overstayed former foreign domestic helper.

A woman aged 75 was suspected of employing illegal workers and was the person-in-charge of the guesthouses.

Pinay hunted after failing to show up at hearing

 

Eastern Court 

A Filipina former domestic helper is being hunted by police after she failed to show up for the hearing of her case at Eastern Court for overstaying.

Magistrate Ko Wai-hung ordered the arrest of Teodora Quijano, reserved the forfeiture of her bail and ordered police not to grant her bail once she is arrested.

Quijano, 36 years old, is charged with breach of condition of stay, contrary to section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

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She was alleged to have overstayed in Hong Kong on May 29, 2022 or 14 days after the premature termination of her domestic helper contract on May 15,  2022.

She was arrested on Sept. 3, 2022 at Ming Court Guest House, 2/F, Hong Kong Building, 137-147 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai.

10 persons arrested in anti-illegal work operations

 

2 of the 5 women arrested for illegal work are led away by the raiding team

A week-long operation targeting illegal workers that ended on March 5 has led to the arrest of 10 people across different locations.

Investigators from the Immigration Department, the police and two government departments raided several establishments, including restaurants, massage parlors and a logistics company.

Of the 10 people arrested, nine were suspected illegal workers comprising  four men and five women, aged 22 to 50. The other one was a woman aged 50 who was arrested on suspicion of hiring the illegal workers.

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Immigration said in a statement that an investigation into the suspected employers is continuing, and did not rule out further arrests.

Contravening a condition of stay by working without a permit is punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.

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Employers of illegal workers face a maximum jail term of 10 years and a $500,000 fine. Mere failure to properly inspect a job applicant’s identity document can lead to an employer being jailed for up to a year and fined up to $150,000.

2 plead guilty to operating dental clinic illegally

 

The 6 Filipino DHs after their arrest in unlicensed dental business

The leader of the six domestic helpers who were arrested by Immigration officersfor operating a dental clinic illegally in Sham Shui Po, has pleaded guilty to two charges, and will be sentenced on March 20 at Shatin Court.

Marites Bohol, 48 years old, who was returned to jail, will be sentenced with her assistant Marissa Necesito, 60 years old, who was granted bail of $2,000.

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The four others – Carles Lie Ramos, Cherie Mel Patiga, Rowena Cerdina, and Jucen Naong – were also freed on bail of $2,000 until their next court hearing on April 8 on charges of aiding and abetting the practice of dentistry without registration.

Bohol pleaded guilty to practicing dentistry without registration, and establishing a business while in Hong Kong in breach of her condition of stay.

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Necesito pleaded guilty to breach of condition of stay, practicing dentistry without registration and three counts of employing persons not legally employable.

Drills were among the items seized during the raid on the makeshift dental clinic

Magistrate Raymond Wong dismissed five charges against Bohol, Necesito, Ramos, Patiga and Cerdina that were deemed identical to those filed against them.

The six were arrested on Aug. 17 last year by Immigration agents in a raid on a subdivided unit in Sham Shui Po.

Asylum seeker gets 2 months jail for slashing plastic cones

 

The toilet where the offense was committed (Google Maps photo)

For slashing two plastic safety cones placed inside a women’s toilet in Sham Shui Po, a 39-year-old asylum seeker was jailed for two months after she pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Court.

R. Lagud, who holds a recognizance form as her identity document, was charged with criminal damage contrary to section 60(1) of the Crimes Ordinance, for which she pleaded guilty when she appeared in court on Tuesday (Feb. 3).

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The offense was committed on Nov. 17 last year at the women’s public toilet at Apliu st., Sham Shui Po.

She was also charged with possession of offensive weapon contrary to section 17 of the Summary Offences Ordinance, after she was found to be carrying a 13cm cutter “with intent to use the said weapon for unlawful purposes,’ according to a Sham Shui Po police complaint.

However, this charge was withdrawn by prosecutors.

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Principal Magistrate Don So also cancelled the warrant of arrest issued against her when she failed to appear in court for a previous hearing.

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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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• 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.”