Alleged human smuggling syndicate members face ICAC charges
2006-8-14
Two suspected members of a human smuggling syndicate were today (Monday) charged and brought to Eastern Magistracy by the ICAC for their alleged roles in smuggling a Mainland woman from Hong Kong to the United States of America (USA) via South Korea.
Yu Yuen-chup, 43, and Shek Hung-lit, 40, both waiters, faced a total of three charges –'96 conspiracy to transfer to another a travel document, conspiracy to obtain services by deception, and conspiracy to defraud.
No pleas were taken. Magistrate Mr Allan Wyeth adjourned the case until September 11, 2006, pending further enquiries and legal advice.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that some law enforcement officers might have accepted advantages from a human smuggling syndicate as rewards for assisting in smuggling Mainlanders to the USA from Hong Kong. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
One of the charges alleged the defendants of conspiring with other persons and a woman from the Mainland China to transfer a passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the name of another person to the woman without reasonable excus e.
The defendants were also alleged to have conspired with other persons and the woman to dishonestly obtain the Korean Air's flight services from Hong Kong to Incheon of South Korea, by falsely representing that the woman was a passenger in the name of that other person, and that she was the holder of the passport.
The remaining charge alleged the defendants of conspiring with other persons and the woman to defraud immigration officers of the Government of the USA.
They were alleged to have dishonestly caused the woman to use the passport to enter the USA, and falsely represented that the woman was the genuine holder of the passport.
The above alleged offences took place between December 1, 2005 and January 24, 2006.
Yu and Shek were granted cash bail of $800 and $2,000 respectively. They were also ordered to surrender travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong, reside at their reported addresses, and report to the Police once a week.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Robert Nash.
Yu Yuen-chup, 43, and Shek Hung-lit, 40, both waiters, faced a total of three charges –'96 conspiracy to transfer to another a travel document, conspiracy to obtain services by deception, and conspiracy to defraud.
No pleas were taken. Magistrate Mr Allan Wyeth adjourned the case until September 11, 2006, pending further enquiries and legal advice.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that some law enforcement officers might have accepted advantages from a human smuggling syndicate as rewards for assisting in smuggling Mainlanders to the USA from Hong Kong. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
One of the charges alleged the defendants of conspiring with other persons and a woman from the Mainland China to transfer a passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the name of another person to the woman without reasonable excus e.
The defendants were also alleged to have conspired with other persons and the woman to dishonestly obtain the Korean Air's flight services from Hong Kong to Incheon of South Korea, by falsely representing that the woman was a passenger in the name of that other person, and that she was the holder of the passport.
The remaining charge alleged the defendants of conspiring with other persons and the woman to defraud immigration officers of the Government of the USA.
They were alleged to have dishonestly caused the woman to use the passport to enter the USA, and falsely represented that the woman was the genuine holder of the passport.
The above alleged offences took place between December 1, 2005 and January 24, 2006.
Yu and Shek were granted cash bail of $800 and $2,000 respectively. They were also ordered to surrender travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong, reside at their reported addresses, and report to the Police once a week.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Robert Nash.