XN000022-1987-04-25 — Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1987

1

JOINT OPERATION NETS MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECTS

*****

A JOINT TERRITORY-WIDE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATION WAS MOUNTED BY THE POLICE, LABOUR AND IMMIGRATION THIS WEEK AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO FLUSH OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE EVADED ARREST.

THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF 139 PEOPLE. NINETEEN OF THEM WERE SUSPECTED TO BE EVADERS AND 10 OTHERS WERE BELIEVED TO BE AIDERS AND ABETTERS.

FORTY-FIVE OF THE ARRESTED PERSONS WERE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN THE BORDER. THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO SAN UK LING FOR REPATRIATION.

OTHER HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THOSE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS WILL BE REPATRIATED.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN REITERATED TODAY (SATURDAY) 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 TO 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 ON WEDNESDAY (APRIL 22) MORNING AND ENDED AT THE SAME TIME THE NEXT DAY, POLICE 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 31 052 PEOPLE, 2 726 VEHICLES AND 789 VESSELS WERE STOPPED FOR IDENTIFICATION CHECKS.

A TOTAL OF 54 PERSONS WERE PROSECUTED FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE PROPER PROOF OF IDENTITY, AND A FURTHER 15 WERE WARNED IN RESPECT OF THIS OFFENCE, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $1 000,

ANOTHER NINE PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY POSSESSING IDENTITY CARDS WHICH DO NOT BELONG TO THEM.

ON THE LABOUR FRONT, INSPECTORS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT VISITED 5 406 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WORK ING, AND TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULFIL THE IR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

A TOTAL