FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1994
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JOINT OPERATION TO WEED OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
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TERRITORY-WIDE, ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATION JOINTLY MOUNTED BY THE POLICE, AND THE LABOUR AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENTS HAS RESULTED IN THE ARRESTS OF 166 PEOPLE.
THE OPERATION WAS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO FLUSH OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
THE 164 SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED BY THE POLICE HAD BEEN REFERRED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT. THOSE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL BE REPATRIATED.
THE OTHER TWO PERSONS WERE ARRESTED BY IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATORS.
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 BE NO CHANGE TO THIS POLICY. ANYONE FOOLISH ENOUGH ΤΟ BELIEVE OTHERWISE IS ONLY CHEATING HIMSELF, HE SAID.
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THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT APART FROM CONTINUOUS CHECKS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, THERE WAS NO LET-UP IN ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION EFFORTS AT THE BORDER.
BORDERS,
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**A HIGH STATE OF VIGILANCE WILL CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE POLICE AND THE SECURITY FORCES BOTH AT THE LAND AND SEA HE SAID.
DURING THE JOINT OPERATION, WHICH BEGAN AT 5 AM YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AND ENDED AT 5 AM TODAY, THE POLICE HAD STEPPED UP THEIR IDENTIFICATION SPOT CHECKS IN PUBLIC PLACES AND CARRIED OUT CHECKS
AT SUSPICIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.
ON THE LABOUR FRONT, INSPECTORS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT VISITED 2,373 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WORKING, AND TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULFIL THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
A TOTAL OF 7,196 EMPLOYEES HAD THEIR PROOF OF IDENTITY CHECKED.
TWENTY-FOUR ESTABLISHMENTS WERE FOUND NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE RECORD OF EMPLOYEES FOR INSPECTION.
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THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT THEY COULD BE FINED UP TO $250,000 AND JAILED FOR UP TO THREE YEARS IF THEY WERE FOUND TO BE EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
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