The Special Investigation Section of the Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Fireblade" from October 10 to 12 and successfully neutralised an illegal worker syndicate. A total of five syndicate members, 20 suspected illegal workers and eight suspected employers were arrested.
 
      During the investigation into a case of illegal employment earlier this year, it was noted that a cleaning company had undertaken cleaning contracts with a number of restaurants and provided illegal workers to take up illegal employment at the restaurants. After months of investigation and intelligence analysis, the ImmD successfully identified a syndicate specialising in undertaking outsourced cleaning contracts with restaurants, claiming to provide lawfully employable workers while recruiting illegal workers at a lower cost to profit from it. The ImmD believed that the syndicate had operated for more than six months. Over 50 restaurants were involved and the value of outsourced contracts ranged from HK$20,000 to HK$50,000. It is estimated that the total amount of transaction handled by this syndicate exceeded HK$17 million.
 
      During the operation, the ImmD had raided a total of 16 premises, including four residential premises and 12 restaurants, and arrested a total of 33 persons, including five syndicate members aged 25 to 64. The ImmD had also apprehended 20 suspected illegal workers and eight suspected employers during the operation. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprises six men and 14 women, aged 23 to 55. Among them, two persons were holders of recognizance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. During the operation, three forged Hong Kong identity cards were unearthed and a considerable number of items were seized including bank statements, employment contracts, mobile phones and computer equipment. The investigation is still ongoing, and more persons involved in the case may be arrested.
 
      An ImmD spokesman said, "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."
 
      The spokesman warned, "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 in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."
 
      The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. 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, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
 
      According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
 
      Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

  

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 13) that a sample of marinated pig oviduct was found to contain a pathogen, Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.

     "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a food premises in Sham Shui Po for testing when following up on a related incident. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the sample, exceeding the criterion of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food that states that Salmonella should not be detected in 25g of a ready-to-eat food sample," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     The CFS has informed the food premises concerned of the above irregularity and instructed them to suspend the sale of the food product concerned. The CFS has also inspected the food premises, provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff, and requested them to review and improve the food production process, environmental and hand hygiene, and carry out a thorough cleaning and disinfection. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.

     According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     "Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and people with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death," the spokesman said.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" and "Windsand" on October 10 and yesterday (October 12). A total of six suspected illegal workers, three suspected employers and four overstayers were arrested.
      
     During operation "Champion", enforcement officers raided 41 target locations in Sham Shui Po District, including garages, premises under renovation, residential buildings and retail shops. Three suspected illegal workers, three suspected employers and four overstayers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised one man and two women, aged 32 to 53. In addition, one woman was also suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Three male and one female overstayers, aged 39 to 47, were arrested. Three men, aged 27 to 57, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. Among them, two suspected illegal workers, three suspected employers and four overstayers were handled by the ImmD.
      
     Furthermore, during operation "Windsand", three male Mainland visitors, aged 28 to 50, were arrested for breaching their condition of stay by being involved in suspected illegal parallel trading activities at Ka Fu Close and areas around San Wan Road in Sheung Shui district. The goods were healthcare products and skincare products.
      
     An ImmD spokesman said, "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."
      
     The spokesman warned, "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 in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."
      
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. 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, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
      
     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
      
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Alipay Financial Services (HK) Limited relating to fraudulent websites, phishing emails and phishing messages. The relevant stored value facility (SVF) licensee has reported the case to the HKMA. 
      
     The fraudulent websites and phishing emails reported by the SVF licensee known at the time are as follows:
https://macauba[.]digital/onues[.]php
https://alipay[.]zfbhk[.]cc
contact@youysnstore[.]com
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that anyone who has provided his or her personal information or account credentials, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website, emails or messages concerned, should contact the relevant SVF licensee, and report to the Police or contact the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Police at 18222.

     Young persons in custody (PICs) at Sha Tsui Correctional Institution (STCI) of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) were presented with certificates at a ceremony today (October 13) in recognition of their efforts and achievements in studies and vocational examinations.

     In the past year, 107 PICs sat for various academic and vocational examinations including the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, the City and Guilds International examinations, the Cambridge English Examinations and the General Aptitude Putonghua Shuiping Kaoshi, and obtained vocational certificates covering Food and Beverage Services, Coffee Making and Latte Art Training, Specialty Drink (Non-alcoholic) Making, Cantonese Cooking, Multimedia Design, Music, Building Services as well as Laundry Skill organised by the Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong; the School of Professional and Continuing Education, the University of Hong Kong; Christian Action; the Construction Industry Council; Tom Lee Music Foundation and the Vocational Training Council. During the year, the PICs attained 134 merits out of 298 certificates obtained. In the ceremony today, 18 PICs were presented with 92 certificates, of which 41 merits were attained. 

     Officiating at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sik Sik Yuen (SSY), Mr Ma Chak-wa, said that SSY is fully supportive of the rehabilitation work of the CSD, and set up a subsidy scheme named the Sik Sik Yuen – Care and Rehabilitation Education Fund in March 2023, with the aim of supporting needy PICs to pursue continuing education and vocational training. He encouraged the young PICs to remain positive, broaden their vision, and rise to challenges.

     During the ceremony, members of the lion dance team and the marching band performed a lion dance and played various pieces of music to show their gratitude to their families and correctional officers for their unwavering support in the course of rehabilitation. Moreover, PICs put their training into practice and produced a short video by using shooting and editing skills acquired in the Creative Multimedia Technology Training Course to record the learning progress and emotional journey of different PICs during their training in the institution, highlighting how they have found their direction during the learning process and strived to equip themselves to prepare themselves for reintegration into society.
 
     In the sharing session, one of the PICs expressed his gratitude to the CSD for providing support for their rehabilitation. He shared that he grew up in a single-parent family and has been deeply moved by his mother's determination to visit him despite being sick. He then realised his past mistakes and cherished his time to study hard. Another PIC's mother shared the happiness of witnessing the positive changes of her son while undergoing training in STCI. She expressed her appreciation for the support provided by CSD staff which has enabled her to appreciate the significance of rehabilitation work.

     Also attending the ceremony were representatives of non-governmental and community organisations, community leaders and family members of the certificate recipients.

     STCI accommodates young male PICs aged from 14 to under 25. The Department provides half-day education programmes and half-day vocational training for PICs of training centres and rehabilitation centres to help them rehabilitate and prepare for their reintegration into society.