*****************************************************
A Hong Kong resident who acted as a check-in facilitator for a Mainland visitor was jailed for 19 months after appearing in the District Court on May 9.
The 35-year-old male defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain services by deception.
In May 2009, a Mainlander who intended to board a flight for Canada was intercepted by Hong Kong Immigration investigators. He was found to be using a forged Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport and a boarding pass in the name of the defendant.
The HKSAR passport was confirmed as a forgery after forensic examination.
The defendant was subsequently located for questioning. He admitted that he had accepted an offer from a middleman of HK$4,000 as monetary reward for going to the airport, procuring a boarding pass and transferring the boarding pass to the middleman. He was aware that the boarding pass would be used by a Mainlander for boarding a flight.
Under the Theft Ordinance, people who, by any deception, dishonestly obtain services from another shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for 10 years.
Ends/Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:28
NNNN
