XN000022-1975-06-24 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1975

NEW IMMIGRATION SECTION PLANNED

TO CHECK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

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THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S INVESTIGATION DIVISION IS STUDYING THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING UP A RESEARCH SECTION TO STRENGTHEN ITS DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS AGAINST THOSE WHO TRY TO SNEAK INTO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY.

THE TASK OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH SECTION WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN CLOSE LIASION WITH THE PUBLIC, POLICE AND OVERSEAS IMMIGRATION AGENCIES, AND TO CO-ORDINATE THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION TO OTHER SECTIONS OF THE DIVISION FOR ACTION.

ACCORDING TO MR. DAVID MILLS, HEAD OF THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION, THE NEED FOR SETTING UP A RESEARCH SECTION HAD BECOME MORE PRESSING IN THE LIGHT OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE IN THE REGION AND THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF KNOWN ILLEGAL ENTRIES WHICH AMOUNTED TO MORE THAN 14,000 LAST YEAR.

THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION HAD A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH, HE SAID.

+WE ARE NOT ONLY DEALING WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO WANT TO SEEK GENUINE REFUGE HERE, BUT IN MANY CASES PEOPLE WANT TO SNEAK INTO HONG KONG TO MAKE QUICK MONEY.

+THE PROBLEM IS AGGRAVATED BY TRAVEL DOCUMENT FORGERY RINGS AND UNSCRUPULOUS RACKETEERS SMUGGLING PEOPLE INTO HONG KONG FOR LUCRATIVE PROFITS.

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AT THE SAME TIME, MR. MILLS ADDED THE DIVISION ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH SOME PEOPLE HOLDING BONA-FIDE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

+ IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR SOME PEOPLE TO SNEAK INTO HONG KONG WITHOUT GOING THROUGH NORMAL CLEARANCE PROCEDURE MAINLY BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER TO DO SO.+

AS AN EXAMPLE, HE CITED THE CASE OF A TAIWANESE WHO WAS CAUGHT ENTERING HONG KONG ILLEGALLY BY SEA LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH HE POSSESSED GENUINE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. THE MAN HAD OPTED NOT TO USE HIS DOCUMENTS SO AS TO SAVE ABOUT $300 HALF THE NORMAL SEA

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PASSAGE FEE, IN THE END HE FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY THAT THE EFFORT WAS NOT WORTH THE RISK, MR. MILLS SAID.

MR. MILLS NOTED THAT THE GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING OF HONG KONG LARGELY SURROUNDED BY SEA, MADE PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL ENTRY MORE DIFFICULT THAN IN TERRITORIES WITH ONLY LAND BORDERS.

DESPITE ALL THESE PROBLEMS, THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION HAS CHALKED UP CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN CHECKING ILLEGAL ENTRIES.

/ON THE