XN000022-1990-08-07 — Page 3

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'TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1990

THE SYNDICATE WAS ALLEGEDLY RESPONSIBLE

FOR

SMUGGLING ABOUT 4,000 PRC BOGUS REFUGEE CLAIMANTS INTO CANADA ON FORGED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

IN ADDITION, THE SYNDICATE WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY AND THE IMPORTATION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS INTO NORTH AMERICA.

AN OFFICIAL LINK WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE AGENCIES OF HONG KONG AND CANADA. THE AGENCIES DECIDED TO CONDUCT SIMULTANEOUS RAIDS IN TORONTO AND HONG KONG AFTER A PERIOD OF CONSULTATION AND EXCHANGE OF INTELLIGENCE.

SOUGHT TO

ENQUIRIES HAD SO FAR INDICATED THAT THE SYNIDCATE ARRANGE THEIR 'CUSTOMERS' TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG FROM CHINA AND CONNECT FLIGHTS TO BANGKOK WHERE FORGED PASSPORTS WOULD BE GIVEN ΤΟ THEM FOR ONWARD PASSAGE TO CANADA, UNDER THE ESCORT OF SOME COURIERS FROM THE SYNDICATE.

APART FROM HONG KONG RESIDENTS, CITIZENS OF CANADA AND SINGAPORE WERE ALSO BELIEVED TO BE EMPLOYED AS COURIERS.

THE PRICE FOR THE FORGED PASSPORT AND THE PASSAGE TO CANADA ABOUT HK$130,000 PER HEAD.

IS

MR TANG SAID THE SYNDICATE WAS A SOPHISTICATED ONE WITH ITS BASES WELL-ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG, THAILAND AND CANADA.

"APART FROM RECRUITING CUSTOMERS, THE SYNDICATE MEMBERS ARE

ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING THE CHARGES.

"THE CUSTOMERS COULD EITHER CHOOSE TO PAY BY INSTALMENTS OR IN ONE LUMPSUM. IF IT WERE OF ONE LUMPSUM, THE 'CUSTOMERS' COULD PAY IN CHINA, HONG KONG OR WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN CANADA.

"IF THEY PAID BY INSTALMENTS. THEY HAD TO PAY A DOWN PAYMENT OF HK$5,000 TO 15,000 IN CHINA OR HONG KONG, WHILE THE BALANCE WOULD BE COLLECTED IN HONG KONG, BANGKOK OR CANADA BY INSTALMENTS.

"WE BELIEVE THAT OUR JOINT EFFORTS HAVE DEALT A SEVERE BLOW то THE ILLEGAL SCHEME OF PROVIDING FORGED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO PRC RESIDENTS TO GAIN ILLEGAL RESIDENCE IN NORTH AMERCIA," MR TANG ADDED.

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