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WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1981
HIGH PENALTY FOR POSSESSION OF FORGED ID CARDS
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PEOPLE IN POSSESSION OF FORGED IDENTITY CARDS NOW RISK GOING TO JAIL FOR SEVEN YEARS AND FINES OF UP TO $50 000.
THE TOUGH NEW PENALTIES ARE CONTAINED IN THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS (AMENDMENT) BILL WHICH WAS PASSED INTO LAW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
APART FROM IDENTITY CARDS, THE NEW PENALTIES APPLY TO OTHER DOCUMENTS ISSUED UNDER THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS ORDINANCE, INCLUDING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CARDS.
THE NEW LAW RAISES THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR POSSESSION OF FORGED IDENTITY CARDS OR OTHER DOCUMENTS ISSUED UNDER THE ORDINANCE FROM TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $5 000 TO SEVEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND A $50 000 FINE UPON CONVICTION ON INDICTMENT.
THE PENALTY ON SUMMARY CONVICTION IS A FINE OF $20 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS.
IN INTRODUCING THE BILL IN COUNCIL EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES, HAD WARNED FORGERS AND THOSE BRINGING IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT THEY WOULD BE PURSUED +RELENTLESSLY.+
HE ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL POSSIBLE AND PRACTICABLE STEPS TO REDUCE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
NOT ONLY WOULD THE SECURITY FORCES AT THE BORDER BE MAINTAINED, HE STRESSED, BUT THOSE ILLEGALS REACHING THE URBAN AREAS WOULD BE SOUGHT OUT AND RETURNED WHILE AIDERS AND ABETTORS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE IDENTIFIED AND PROSECUTED.
UNDER THE NEW LAW, AN ACCUSED PERSON SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE A FORGED IDENTITY CARD OR OTHER DOCUMENT IN HIS POSSESSION IF HE HAS IT IN HIS PERSONAL CUSTODY OR POSSESSION, OR IF HE KNOWINGLY HAS IT IN THE ACTUAL CUSTODY OR POSSESSION OF ANY OTHER PERSON, OR IN ANY OTHER PLACE, WHETHER OCCUPIED BY HIMSELF OR NOT.
IT WILL BE IMMATERIAL WHETHER THE IDENTITY CARD OR OTHER DOCUMENT IS IN SUCH CUSTODY, POSSESSION OR PLACE FOR THE USE OF THE ACCUSED PERSON OR THAT OF ANOTHER PERSON.
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