The Yau Tsim Police District, together with Immigration Department personnel, conducted an operation codenamed CHAMPION targeting illegal workers and vice activities in the district on Wednesday, raiding multiple locations in the area and arresting 25 people.
During the operation, personnel arrested a 17-year-old mainland girl and 20 mainland women, 2 mainland men, one foreign woman and one non-Chinese man, aged between 19 and 53, on suspicion of "overstaying," "breach of stay conditions," "using forged documents" and "illegal entry." All arrestees are currently detained for investigation, with some to be handed over to relevant departments for follow-up action.
Police stated that according to Hong Kong Law Chapter 115 Immigration Ordinance Section 38AA, illegal immigrants, persons subject to removal orders or deportation orders, overstayers or refused port entrants shall not take any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establish or join in any business. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and three years' imprisonment. Employers who hire non-legally employable persons who are illegal immigrants, persons subject to removal orders or deportation orders, overstayers or refused port entrants face maximum penalties of a $500,000 fine and 10 years' imprisonment. Anyone who breaches stay conditions effective on them faces maximum penalties of a $50,000 fine and two years' imprisonment upon conviction.
