SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1934
ILLEGALS FLUSHED OUT IN BIG DRAGNET
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HIDING IN HONG KONG AGAIN FELT THE HEAT THIS WEEK AS THE POLICE, LABOUR, AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENTS STEPPED UP OPERATIONS TO FERRET THEM OUT.
THIS TIME, THE DRAGNET WAS CAST EVEN WIDER AS POLICE CONCENTRATED ON CONSTRUCTION SITES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY IN ADDITION TO OTHER LOCATIONS.
A TOTAL OF 42 PEOPLE SUSPECTED OF BEING HERE ILLEGALLY WERE ARRESTED IN THE LATEST BLITZ, WHICH FORMS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ON-GOING EFFORTS TO FLUSH OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HIDING HERE.
ALL THE ARRESTED PERSONS HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THOSE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL BE REPATRIATED.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY AGAIN STRESSED THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF ANY AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED AT THE BORDER IN RECENT MONTHS BECAUSE SNAKEHEADS ARE AGAIN SPREADING RUMOURS THAT THERE WOULD BE AN AMNESTY AFTER AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN SEPTEMBER.
+THIS IS OF COURSE TOTALLY UNTRUE, HE SAID.
+OUR POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS VERY CLEAR. WHENEVER AND WHEREVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE FOUND IN HONG KONG, THEY WILL BE SENT BACK.+
+OUR LATEST OPERATION SHOULD SHOW THEM THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO THIS POLICY, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT APART FROM CONTINUOUS CHECKS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, THERE WAS ALSO NO QUESTION OF ANY SLACKENING OF ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION EFFORTS AT THE BORDER.
+THE POLICE AND THE SECURITY FORCES WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF VIGILANCE BOTH AT THE LAND AND SEA BORDER, HE SAID.
DURING THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL OPERATION, POLICE STEPPED UP THEIR IDENTIFICATION SPOT CHECKS IN PUBLIC PLACES IN ADDITION TO CHECKING CONSTRUCTION SITES AND OTHER SUSPECT LOCATIONS.
BESIDES THE 42 PEOPLE ARRESTED, THE POLICE SUMMONSED 91 PEOPLE FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE PROPER PROOF OF IDENTITY, AND WARNED A FURTHER 46 IN RESPECT OF THE OFFENCE, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $1 000.
ON THE LABOUR FRONT, INSPECTORS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT VISITED 9 953 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO MAY BE WORKING, AND TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULFIL THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
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