FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1990
16
JOINT ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATION MOUNTED
* * * *
A TERRITORY-WIDE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATION JOINTLY MOUNTED BY THE POLICE, AND THE LABOUR AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENTS YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) HAS RESULTED IN THE ARRESTS OF 89 PERSONS.
THE OPERATION WAS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUOUS
TO FLUSH OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
EFFORT
OF THE ARRESTED PERSONS, FOUR WERE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT AT THE BORDER. THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO SAN UK LING FOR REPATRIATION.
THE REMAINING 85 HAVE BEEN REFERRED ΤΟ THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THOSE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL BE REPATRIATED.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN REITERATED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF ANY AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
"OUR LATEST OPERATION SHOULD DRIVE HOME THE POINT THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO THIS POLICY. ANYONE FOOLISH ENOUGH ΤΟ BELIEVE OTHERWISE IS ONLY CHEATING HIMSELF," HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT APART FROM CONTINUOUS CHECKS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, THERE WAS NO LET-UP IN ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION EFFORTS AT THE BORDER.
"A HIGH STATE OF VIGILANCE WILL CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE POLICE AND THE SECURITY FORCES BOTH AT THE LAND AND SEA BORDERS, HE SAID.
DURING THE JOINT OPERATION, WHICH BEGAN AT 5 AM YESTERDAY AND ENDED THIS MORNING, THE POLICE HAD STEPPED UP THEIR IDENTIFICATION SPOT CHECKS IN PUBLIC PLACES AND CARRIED OUT CHECKS AT SUSPICIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.
AS A RESULT, A TOTAL OF 22,794 PERSONS, 2,907 VEHICLES AND 475 VESSELS WERE STOPPED FOR IDENTIFICATION CHECKS.
SEVEN PERSONS WERE SUMMONSED AND FIVE PERSONS CHARGED FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE PROPER PROOF OF IDENTITY. A FURTHER FIVE PERSONS 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 2,964 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WORKING, AND то CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULFIL THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
A TOTAL OF 12,622 EMPLOYEES HAD THEIR PROOF OF IDENTITY CHECKED DURING THE OPERATION.
THIRTY-THREE ESTABLISHMENTS WERE FOUND NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR INSPECTION A RECORD OF EMPLOYEES.
THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT THEY COULD BE FINED TO $50,000 AND JAILED FOR UP TO A YEAR IF THEY WERE EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
UP
FOUND
ΤΟ
BE
/17