Hong Kong Customs detects suspected case of importing unmanifested cargo
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 20) detected a suspected cased of importing unmanifested cargo involving a goods vehicle at the Man Kam To Control Point, seizing a total of about 118 kilograms of suspected smuggled live plant pests and frozen pet food with an estimated market value of about $35,000.
Customs officers on that day intercepted an incoming goods vehicle at the said control Point. Upon inspection, the batch of suspected unmanifested cargo, including suspected illegally imported mealworms, moth larvae, fruit flies, cockroaches and frozen domestic rats, was found mix-loaded with other declared goods. A 40-year-old local male driver was arrested. An investigation is ongoing.
Customs has passed the suspected illegally imported live plant pests and frozen domestic rats to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation.
Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against cross-boundary smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
Customs reminds members of the public that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Customs also reminds members of the public that under the Rabies Regulation, any person found guilty of illegally importing animals, carcasses or animal products is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year, and under the Plant (Importation and Pest Control) Ordinance, any person found guilty of illegally importing a plant pest without authorisation is liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for six months.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 20) detected a suspected case of importing unmanifested cargo involving a goods vehicle at the Man Kam To Control Point, seizing a total of about 118 kilograms of suspected smuggled live plant pests and frozen pet food with an estimated market value of about $35,000. Photo shows the suspected smuggled live plant pests and frozen pet food seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
26 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Twilight", a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department codenamed "Flabbergast", a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department codenamed "Powerplayer", and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" from August 14 to yesterday (August 20). During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, industrial buildings and flats under renovation. Eighteen suspected illegal workers, six suspected employers and two overstayers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised 12 men and six women, aged 24 to 63. Among them, six men were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment. Five men and one woman, aged 32 to 49, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. The arrested overstayers were two women aged 45. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
Additionally, alongside enforcement actions, ImmD officers, along with a promotional vehicle, were deployed to distribute leaflets to the public in a newly inhabited housing estate in Fanling. The officers urged the public to stand against employing illegal workers and reminded them that customers who knowingly engage service providers using illegal workers may also be subject to criminal liability.
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 any business. 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.”
The spokesman stressed 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) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour 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 and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour 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 and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, emailanti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form atwww.immd.gov.hk.
Source: AI-found images
