Publications and Press Releases

4 October 2012

The Immigration Department and the Police today (October 4) jointly mounted an anti-illegal employment operation codenamed "Windsand", mobilizing 25 Immigration officers and 32 Police officers. During the operation, officers raided 11 black-spots for parallel goods trading including the Advanced Technology Centre, Choi Fat Street, Choi Fai Street, Choi Yuen Estate and the vicinity of Sheung Shui MTR station. As a result, four male Mainland visitors, aged between 32 and 42, were arrested for breaching their condition of stay by involving in suspected parallel goods trading. Furthermore, officers raided under search warrants four residential flats in Sheung Shui Centre, and arrested two female Mainland visitors, aged 41 and 44, in one of the flats for breaching their condition of stay by involving in suspected parallel goods trading. Officers also seized 200 cartoons of cosmetics, over 100 bottles of fish oil capsules and a large amount of stationeries during the operation.

In addition, the Police issued summons to two Hong Kong residents, one male and one female, for "obstructing a public place".

"Visitors are not allowed to take up employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Immigration Department will continue to take effective enforcement actions with related law enforcement departments against concerned offences," an Immigration Department spokesman said.