XN000022-1992-06-03 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1992

NEW RULES TO CURB WORKING IIS EFFECTIVE

(IIS)

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

TOUGH NEW MEASURES AGAINST EMPLOYMENT OF ARE PROVING EFFECTIVE AS IS EVIDENCED BY THE DROP IN THE PERCENTAGE FIGURES OF THOSE CAUGHT WORKING.

MR IAN

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, STRACHAN, WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON GILBERT LEUNG KAM-HO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR STRACHAN SAID SOME 25,400 IIS WERE ARRESTED THROUGHOUT HONG

KONG IN 1991. 27,800 WERE ARRESTED IN 1990.

OF THOSE ARRESTED IN 1991, SOME 1,400 (UNDER 6%) WERE ARRESTED AT PLACES OF WORK. THE FIGURE FOR 1990 WAS ABOUT 3,300 (ABOUT 12%).

TOUGH NEW IMMIGRATION LAW AIMED AT THOSE EMPLOYING IIS WAS INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER 1990. THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WAS INCREASED FROM A $50,000 FINE AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT TO $250,000 FINE AND THREE- YEAR IMPRISONMENT.

MORE, MAIN CONTRACTORS WILL BE FINED A MAXIMUM OF $250,000 IF IIS ARE CAUGHT ON SITES UNDER THEIR CONTROL.

HE SAID GOVERNMENT STATISTICS SHOWED ONLY BETWEEN THOSE WERE CAUGHT AT PLACES OF WORK AND THOSE WHO WERE NOT.

WHO

NOW

"THOSE CAUGHT IN THE VICINITY OF A PLACE OF WORK ARE NOT PROSECUTED UNLESS THEY ARE ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND SO ARE NOT COUNTED SEPARATELY," HE SAID.

MR STRACHAN ALSO SAID THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION HAD PROPOSED, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES, TO SET UP A TASK FORCE OF ABOUT 100 OFFICERS TO ENHANCE THE PRESENT OPERATIONS AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND EMPLOYMENT.

HE SAID THE GOVERNOR OF GUANGDONG RECENTLY REAFFIRMED THAT GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES WOULD CONTINUE THEIR AGAINST IIS TRYING TO ENTER HONG KONG.

THE

VIGILANCE

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