20 months' jail for human smuggler in boarding pass swapping case
2002-3-19
A member of a human smuggling syndicate, which arranged for Mainland residents to swap boarding passes at the Hong Kong International Airport and enter the United States with forged passports, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment at District Court tod ay (Tuesday).
Cheng Tuen, 29, decoration worker, charged by the ICAC, today pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud United Airlines, while another charge of conspiracy to defraud was ordered to be left on court file.
Deputy Judge Anthony Kwok said the 30-month starting point for the conspiracy offence had been reduced to 20 months, taking into account his relatively minor role in the case, his guilty plea and clear records.
This is the last in the series of cases in connection with the human smuggling scam. Five other syndicate members and two Mainlanders were earlier given jail terms ranging from one-year-and-three months to four-and-a-half years.
The Consulate of the United States had referred the case to the ICAC, suspecting that the syndicate might have offered bribes to airport staff for their assistance in human smuggling activities.
Subsequent ICAC enquiries found no evidence showing involvement of airport staff.
The court heard that the two Mainlanders, who travelled to Hong Kong on People's Republic of China passports, obtained airline tickets to Asian destinations from the syndicate.
After they had checked in and entered the restricted area of the Hong Kong International Airport, the syndicate members swapped the Mainlanders' boarding passes with passes destined to Chicago on board a United Airlines aircraft. The Mainlanders were als o provided with forged US passports.
After unused airline tickets to Asian destinations were collected back from the Mainlanders, Cheng was asked to take such tickets to travel agents for refunds.
All the syndicate members were arrested by ICAC officers at the airport, while the two Mainland residents were arrested inside the United Airlines aircraft before leaving for Chicago.
Cheng admitted under caution that he had received a reward of $2,000 to $3,000 for helping to collect unused airline tickets on each occasion.
The offences took place between March 1 and 3, 2001.
The prosecution was today represented by Richard Donald on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Petrus Au.
Cheng Tuen, 29, decoration worker, charged by the ICAC, today pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud United Airlines, while another charge of conspiracy to defraud was ordered to be left on court file.
Deputy Judge Anthony Kwok said the 30-month starting point for the conspiracy offence had been reduced to 20 months, taking into account his relatively minor role in the case, his guilty plea and clear records.
This is the last in the series of cases in connection with the human smuggling scam. Five other syndicate members and two Mainlanders were earlier given jail terms ranging from one-year-and-three months to four-and-a-half years.
The Consulate of the United States had referred the case to the ICAC, suspecting that the syndicate might have offered bribes to airport staff for their assistance in human smuggling activities.
Subsequent ICAC enquiries found no evidence showing involvement of airport staff.
The court heard that the two Mainlanders, who travelled to Hong Kong on People's Republic of China passports, obtained airline tickets to Asian destinations from the syndicate.
After they had checked in and entered the restricted area of the Hong Kong International Airport, the syndicate members swapped the Mainlanders' boarding passes with passes destined to Chicago on board a United Airlines aircraft. The Mainlanders were als o provided with forged US passports.
After unused airline tickets to Asian destinations were collected back from the Mainlanders, Cheng was asked to take such tickets to travel agents for refunds.
All the syndicate members were arrested by ICAC officers at the airport, while the two Mainland residents were arrested inside the United Airlines aircraft before leaving for Chicago.
Cheng admitted under caution that he had received a reward of $2,000 to $3,000 for helping to collect unused airline tickets on each occasion.
The offences took place between March 1 and 3, 2001.
The prosecution was today represented by Richard Donald on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Petrus Au.