TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1977
00
1
8
PHOTO-ENGRAVING FOR HK CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY
*****
PHOTO-ENGRAVING OF HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY MAY BE APPLIED LATER THIS YEAR TO DETER FORGERY.
THIS WAS REVEALED TODAY BY MR. CHOU KAM-HON, PRINCIPAL IMMIGRATION OFFICER, AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF LION ROCK, WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF FORGED PASSPORTS.
HONG KONG WOULD BE THE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO USE THIS LATEST INVENTION WHEN THE EQUIPMENT ARRIVE IN OCTOBER.
▬▬
BUT PHOTO-ENGRAVING A METHOD WHEREBY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDERS OF THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS REPRODUCED BY THE MACHINE CANNOT BE REPLACED - WOULD PRIMARILY BE APPLIED TO THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY FOR FURTHER OBSERVATION, MR. CHOU EXPLAINED.
+HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM OF FORGED PASSPORTS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ERADICATED BY THE INTRODUCION OF PHOTO-ENGRAVING,+ MR. CHOU WARNED.
+AT PRESENT THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PASSPORTS AND C.I.S BEING IN USE AND THE GENUINENESS OF ANY ONE OF THEM MAY EASILY BE NULLIFIED BY SUBSTITUTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS.+
FORGED PASSPORTS HAD A NUMBER OF EFFECTS ON HONG KONG RESIDENTS, MR. CHOU SAID, AND ONE OF THEM WAS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS GOING ABROAD ON BUSINESS OR PLEASURE TRIPS WERE NOW INEVITABLY SUBJECT TO AN IMMIGRATION EXAMINATION WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN MORE RIGOROUS AND ACCORDINGLY, INCONVENIENCES ARE CAUSED.
MR. CHOU THEN GAVE THE FOLLOWING ADVICE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS:
* KEEP YOUR PASSPORTS OR C.I.S IN SAFE CUSTODY TO PREVENT
THEM FROM FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF LAW-BREAKERS-
* DO NOT SELL YOUR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OUT OF GREEDINESS FOR PROFITS, BECAUSE THIS IS AN OFFENCE AGAINST THE LAW. MOREOVER, IF THE BUYER VIOLATES THE LAW IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, THE CRIMINAL RECORD WILL BE MADE IN YOUR NAME INSTEAD OF HIS=
* DO NOT SEEK ENTRY TO ANY FOREIGN COUNTRY ON FORGED
PASSPORTS BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, COUNTERFEIT DOCUMENTS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DETECTION AND
* REPORT PASSPORT FORGERS TO THE AUTHORITIES AS A CITIZEN
SHOULD.
/9