XN000022-1988-07-02 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1988

JOINT ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATION MOUNTED

A TOTAL OF 38 PERSONS WERE ARRESTED DURING A 24-HOUR TERRITORY- WIDE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATION, JOINTLY MOUNTED BY THE POLICE, AND THE LABOUR AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENTS THIS WEEK.

THE OPERATION WAS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUOUS TO FLUSH OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

EFFORT

OF THE ARRESTED PERSONS, THREE HAVE BEEN SENT TO SAN UK LING FOR REPATRIATION.

THE REMAINING 35 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) 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 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 BRGAN AT 5 AM ON THURSDAY (JUNE 30) AND ENDED AT 5 AM THE FOLLOWING DAY (JULY 1), THE POLICE HAD STEPPED UP THEIR IDENTIFICATION SPOT CHECKS IN PUBLIC PLACES AND CARRIED OUT CHECKS AT SUSPICIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

AS RESULT, A TOTAL OF 36,729 PERSONS, 5,162 VEHICLES AND 1,316

VESSELS WERE STOPPED FOR IDENTIFICATION CHECKS.

A TOTAL OF FIVE PERSONS WERE PROSECUTED FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE PROPER PROOF OF IDENTITY, AND A FURTHER 24 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 3,122 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WORKING, AND TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULFIL THE IR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

TWENTY ESTABLISHMENTS WERE FOUND TO

BE POSSESSING NO RECORD

AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT THEY COULD BE FINED UF TO $50,000 AND JAILED FOR UP TO A YEAR IF THEY WERE FOUND 10 BE EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

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