Alleged human smuggling ring leader faces passport offence
2001-6-15
A suspected mastermind of a human smuggling syndicate and his associate, who allegedly helped supply forged travel documents to facilitate illegal entry of Mainland residents into other countries, were charged by the ICAC and brought to San Po Kong Court this (Friday) afternoon.
Yu Wai-hung, 43, unemployed, and Lau Kwok-tong, 44, second-hand mobile phone peddler, faced one joint charge of conspiring with Leung Kwai-sang to transfer travel documents to others without reasonable excuse on June 13, 2001.
No pleas were taken today. Magistrate Mr Ernest Lin adjourned the case to June 29, 2001, and remanded Yu in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. Lau, who was granted bail of $10,000 in cash and $10,000 cash surety, was ordered to surrend er his travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.
Five other members of the syndicate and two Mainland residents were earlier charged in relation to the investigation, following a referral from the Consulate of the United States which suspected that some airport staff might have taken bribes to facilitat e human smuggling activities.
ICAC investigation later found no evidence showing involvement of airport staff.
The syndicate members had allegedly provided forged US passports to the Mainland residents, and arranged to swap their boarding passes at the airport for a flight to Chicago.
Yu, the alleged ring leader, and Lau, were arrested by ICAC officers in a restaurant in Mongkok on Wednesday (June 13), after other associates handed a HKSAR passport to the defendants. The passport was in the name of another person.
Copies of the personal particulars page in relation to seven People's Republic of China passports were also recovered from Yu.
Meanwhile, ICAC officers also seized five blank credit cards during a search at Yu's residence, and further charged him with one count of possessing equipment for making counterfeit credit cards in a separate case.
Yu Wai-hung, 43, unemployed, and Lau Kwok-tong, 44, second-hand mobile phone peddler, faced one joint charge of conspiring with Leung Kwai-sang to transfer travel documents to others without reasonable excuse on June 13, 2001.
No pleas were taken today. Magistrate Mr Ernest Lin adjourned the case to June 29, 2001, and remanded Yu in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. Lau, who was granted bail of $10,000 in cash and $10,000 cash surety, was ordered to surrend er his travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.
Five other members of the syndicate and two Mainland residents were earlier charged in relation to the investigation, following a referral from the Consulate of the United States which suspected that some airport staff might have taken bribes to facilitat e human smuggling activities.
ICAC investigation later found no evidence showing involvement of airport staff.
The syndicate members had allegedly provided forged US passports to the Mainland residents, and arranged to swap their boarding passes at the airport for a flight to Chicago.
Yu, the alleged ring leader, and Lau, were arrested by ICAC officers in a restaurant in Mongkok on Wednesday (June 13), after other associates handed a HKSAR passport to the defendants. The passport was in the name of another person.
Copies of the personal particulars page in relation to seven People's Republic of China passports were also recovered from Yu.
Meanwhile, ICAC officers also seized five blank credit cards during a search at Yu's residence, and further charged him with one count of possessing equipment for making counterfeit credit cards in a separate case.