SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1983
GRIP TIGHTENS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
RUMOURS OF AMNESTY QUASHED
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A JOINT OPERATION AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MOUNTED THIS WEEK BY THE POLICE, LABOUR AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENTS NETTED 66 PEOPLE SUSPECTED OF BEING HERE ILLEGALLY.
DURING THE THREE-DAY OPERATION ENDED THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING, 102 169 PEOPLE WERE CHECKED FOR IDENTIFICATION AND 11 067 ESTABLISHMENTS VISITED.
SIXTY-SIX PERSONS SUSPECTED OF BEING HERE ILLEGALLY HAD BEEN REFERRED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER
THOSE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL BE
INVESTIGATION. REPATRIATED.
THE JOINT OPERATION IS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING TERRITORY-WIDE EFFORT TO STAMP OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SLACKENING OF EFFORTS AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. +ON THE CONTRARY, THE SECURITY FORCES AND THE POLICE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF VIGILANCE BOTH AT THE BORDER AND THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, HE SAID.
+THERE IS NO PLACE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN HONG KONG. WHEREVER THEY ARE FOUND, THEY WILL BE SENT BACK.+
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY WHEN THE NEW IDENTITY CARDS ARE ISSUED LATER THIS MONTH ARE ABSOLUTELY GROUNDLESS. +ANY RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY ON SUCH AND OTHER OCCASIONS ARE SPREAD BY SNAKEHEADS WHO HAVE NO REGARD WHATSOEVER FOR HUMAN DECENCY AND WHOSE SOLE AIM IS TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK.+
→THE NEW IDENTITY CARDS WILL MAKE IT EVEN HARDER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AS THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO FORGE. ANYONE FOOLISHLY HOPING FOR THE CONTRARY IS ONLY DELUDING HIMSELF, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED,
HE ALSO REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT AS FROM MONDAY (MARCH 28), DRIVING LICENCES WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED AS PROOF OF IDENTITY,
DURING THE SPECIAL OPERATION, POLICE STEPPED UP THE IR IDENTIFICATION SPOT CHECKS IN PUBLIC PLACES AND ALSO CARRIED OUT SPECIAL OPERATIONS IN SUSPECT AREAS AND LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.
THEY ARRESTED 16 SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH FORGED IDENTITY CARDS. ANOTHER 242 PERSONS WERE SUMMONSED FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE PROPER PROOF OF IDENTITY, AND A FURTHER 134 WERE WARNED IN RESPECT OF THIS OFFENCE, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $1 000.
ON THE LABOUR FRONT, INSPECTORS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT VISITED 11 067 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WORKING, AND TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULLFIL THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.