XN000022-1975-06-24 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1975

ON THE AVERAGE, THE DIVISION RECEIVES FOR INVESTIGATION 25,000 REPORTS EVERY YEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, THE POLICE AND THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS DEPARTMENT.

BASED ON THESE REPORTS, THE PROBES RESULT IN 3,000 PROSECUTIONS A YEAR.

PEOPLE BROUGHT BEFORE COURT ARE CHARGED WITH OFFENCES RANGING FROM ILLEGAL ENTRY AND OVERSTAYING TO WORKING WITHOUT PERMISSION AND MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO OBTAIN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION HAS A COMPLEMENT OF 105 IMMIGRATION OFFICERS - MOSTLY IN PLAIN CLOTHES.

THE DIVISION IS MADE UP OF FIVE SECTIONS - THE GENERAL INVESTIGATIONS, OUTSIDE INVESTIGATIONS (HONG KONG ISLAND), OUTSIDE INVESTIGATIONS (KOWLOON AND NEW TERRITORIES), PROSECUTION AND REMOVALS, AND BACKLOG.

THE THREE INVESTIGATIONS SECTIONS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROBING CASES INVOLVING INFRINGEMENTS OF IMMIGRATION LAWS. OUTSIDE INVESTIGATORS ALSO MAKE REGULAR CHECKS ON NIGHTCLUBS, TRAVEL AGENCIES AND OTHER PLACES FREQUENTED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OVERSTAYERS.

THE PROSECUTION AND REMOVAL SECTION IS CHARGED WITH THE DUTIES OF BRINGING OFFENDERS OF IMMIGRATION LAWS TO COURT AND TO REMOVE THOSE CONSIDERED NOT QUALIFIED TO REMAIN HERE.

THE BACKLOG SECTION, WHICH WAS SET UP FOLLOWING THE UPGRADING OF THE DIVISION IN DECEMBER 1973, INHERITED MORE THAN 6,000 CASES.

FOR THE PAST 16 MONTHS, IT HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB TO CLEAR THESE PENDING CASES BY INTERIEWING THE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND MAKING DETAIL CHECKS ON THEIR PARTICULARS.

MR. MILLS SAID IT WAS HOPED TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG BY OCTOBER. +IF THE TARGET IS MET BY THEN, THERE MIGHT BE STAFF AVAILABLE TO START RESEARCH SECTION WHICH WE NEED BADLY.+

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