ICAC smashes illegal immigration syndicate using forged Cambodian passports
2001-10-4
The ICAC has mounted an arrest operation into allegations that some Mainland citizens had acquired residence in Hong Kong through false marriages with Hong Kong residents after entering the territory with unlawfully obtained Cambodian passports.
Arrested in Operation "Mavis" which commenced last week were 23 persons, including 14 Hong Kong residents, some of whom allegedly acting as pseudo spouses in the bogus marriages.
The remaining nine arrestees were Mainlanders who had obtained Hong Kong residence under the scheme.
Ten Cambodian passports, suspected to have been obtained illegally or forged, were seized during the operation.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that some government officers in Hong Kong might have accepted bribes from a syndicate for turning a blind eye to false marriages arranged by the syndicate.
Investigations so far have not revealed evidence of corruption against any civil servant.
Investigations revealed that a syndicate had arranged for some Mainlanders to travel to Cambodia via Hong Kong with their People's Republic of China passports.
After they had arrived in Cambodia, the Mainlanders were supplied with Cambodian passports at a cost of $50,000 to $180,000 each. The Mainlanders then re-entered Hong Kong as visitors with the allegedly forged or illegally obtained Cambodian passports.
Upon the Mainlanders' return to Hong Kong, the syndicate allegedly arranged fake marriages between these Mainland citizens and Hong Kong residents to enable the Mainlanders to apply to the Immigration Department for residence in the territory.
The Mainlanders were each charged a fee between several thousand dollars to $100,000 for the bogus marriages. The pseudo spouses were allegedly paid $10,000 to $28,000 each by the syndicate.
The arrestees have been released on ICAC bail, pending further inquiries.
Arrested in Operation "Mavis" which commenced last week were 23 persons, including 14 Hong Kong residents, some of whom allegedly acting as pseudo spouses in the bogus marriages.
The remaining nine arrestees were Mainlanders who had obtained Hong Kong residence under the scheme.
Ten Cambodian passports, suspected to have been obtained illegally or forged, were seized during the operation.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that some government officers in Hong Kong might have accepted bribes from a syndicate for turning a blind eye to false marriages arranged by the syndicate.
Investigations so far have not revealed evidence of corruption against any civil servant.
Investigations revealed that a syndicate had arranged for some Mainlanders to travel to Cambodia via Hong Kong with their People's Republic of China passports.
After they had arrived in Cambodia, the Mainlanders were supplied with Cambodian passports at a cost of $50,000 to $180,000 each. The Mainlanders then re-entered Hong Kong as visitors with the allegedly forged or illegally obtained Cambodian passports.
Upon the Mainlanders' return to Hong Kong, the syndicate allegedly arranged fake marriages between these Mainland citizens and Hong Kong residents to enable the Mainlanders to apply to the Immigration Department for residence in the territory.
The Mainlanders were each charged a fee between several thousand dollars to $100,000 for the bogus marriages. The pseudo spouses were allegedly paid $10,000 to $28,000 each by the syndicate.
The arrestees have been released on ICAC bail, pending further inquiries.