A Hong Kong resident was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of making a false statutory declaration. He pleaded guilty to the charges at Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts and was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment on September 25.
The 28-year-old defendant married a Mainland pregnant woman in Hong Kong in June 2017. Subsequently, the Mainland pregnant woman successfully obtained a Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking from a private hospital for delivery services by virtue of her marital relationship with the defendant. Upon her attempt of arrival in November 2017, the Immigration Department enquired of the Mainland pregnant woman and the defendant for her purpose of visit. Due to doubts about the marital relationship between the Mainland pregnant woman and the defendant, the woman was refused permission to land by the Immigration Department, which led to an investigation.
During the investigation, the defendant admitted that under the arrangement of a middleman, he would be paid around $80,000 as a monetary reward to contract a bogus marriage with the Mainland pregnant woman in order to enable her to obtain a Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking for delivery in Hong Kong.
An investigation of other suspects is continuing.
"The Immigration Department is concerned about the situation of non-local pregnant women seeking to give birth in Hong Kong by illegal means. While great efforts are made to intercept non-local pregnant women without a confinement booking at the control points, vigorous enforcement actions have also been taken to combat related immigration offences committed by non-local pregnant women and their abettors," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
The spokesman warned that conspiracy to defraud is a serious offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction, under the Crimes Ordinance, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years. Moreover, under the Crimes Ordinance, a person who knowingly and willfully makes a false statutory declaration shall be liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to the maximum penalty of imprisonment for two years.
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