165 jailed in ImmD anti-illegal employee focused operations (with pictures)
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The Immigration Department (ImmD) installed a series of anti-illegal employee focused operations by performing surprise evaluations and enforcement actions, targeting 4 markets, consisting of remodelling, catering, logistics and cleaning, which are susceptible to participation with prohibited work from July 2 to the other day (August 14). An overall of 165 individuals were detained, consisting of 109 presumed unlawful employees, 54 believed companies and 2 thought aiders and abettors. Amongst them, 61 individuals have actually been prosecuted for offenses under the Immigration Ordinance, with 49 individuals sentenced to jail terms varying from 54 days to 18 months.
The ImmD has actually long been extremely alert versus the issue of unlawful work and has actually taken energetic and reliable enforcement actions. The ImmD has actually installed intelligence-led focused operations in several targeted places. From July 2 to August 14, ImmD private investigators, using techniques consisting of decoy operations, carried out raids at 721 targeted places throughout numerous districts in Hong Kong, consisting of personal real estate estates, recently built/inhabited real estate estates, store systems under restoration, dining establishments and popular event areas for food shipment riders.
The apprehended unlawful employees consist of dishwashing machines, kitchen area employees, waiters, waitresses, food shipment riders, restoration employees, cleaners and logistics employees. They aged in between 19 and 56, made up 35 non-ethnic Chinese individuals (consisting of 11 recognisance types holders forbidden from taking any work) and 74 Mainlanders. Amongst the unlawful employees apprehended, 7 individuals were believed of utilizing and remaining in ownership of created Hong Kong identity cards. In addition, 55 Hong Kong citizens and 1 Mainlander were jailed for presumed participation in utilizing unlawful employees or assisting and abetting others in breaching their conditions of remain in Hong Kong. Severe examination will be carried out on the companies and specialists, and the ImmD does not dismiss the possibility of more arrests or prosecutions.
Amongst the detained prohibited employees, 61 individuals have actually been prosecuted for offenses under the Immigration Ordinance, consisting of breach of conditions of stay, utilizing and remaining in belongings of a created Hong Kong identity card, and taking work while being an unlawful immigrant, an individual who is the topic of an elimination order or a deportation order, an overstayer or an individual who was declined authorization to land. Amongst them, 49 individuals have actually been sentenced to jail terms varying from 54 days to 18 months.
The spokesperson stated that the ImmD will continue to fight prohibited work activities. The ImmD is devoted to combating unlawful work by unlawful immigrants, visitors, foreign domestic assistants, and imported employees bound by particular work conditions in order to safeguard the regional labour market. If unlawful activities are presumed, residents might get in touch with the ImmD’s devoted hotline (2824 1551), e-mail (anti_crime@immd.gov.hk) and online reporting platform (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/online-services/) to report unlawful work activities.