A 35-year-old Mainland male resident, a 48-year-old Taiwan male resident and a 60-year-old Canadian male were jailed for conspiracy to obtain airline services by deception. They were sentenced to 22, 32 and 34 months' imprisonment respectively at the District Court today (October 2).
 
     The Anti-illegal Migration Agency (AIM) of the Immigration Department (ImmD) received intelligence in November 2023 that a Canadian male was suspected to be involved in illegal migration activities as a courier. Investigators successfully identified the courier, and the Mainland resident who intended to migrate illegally overseas, in the restricted area of Hong Kong International Airport after he disembarked from a flight from Bangkok and tracked him. It was discovered that the courier entered the same toilet cubicle with the Taiwan resident arriving in Hong Kong from Kaohsiung, and later with the Mainland resident to transfer a boarding pass. Later, the courier and the Mainland male resident proceeded to the transfer area to handle transfer procedures separately, while the Taiwan resident proceeded alone to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point.
 
     Investigators intercepted the courier and the Mainland resident near the boarding gate of a Melbourne-bound flight. After examination, it was found that the Mainland resident was in possession of a boarding pass for the Melbourne flight and a forged travel document supposedly issued by Taiwan authorities, which bore his photo but had the name of that Taiwan resident. Investigators also unearthed from the personal belongings of the Mainland resident a People's Republic of China (PRC) passport, a PRC identity card and an Exit-Entry Permit for travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, confirming his true identity as a Mainland resident. The Taiwan resident was intercepted by investigators when he attempted to depart Hong Kong at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point. The three arrested persons were charged at the District Court today with conspiracy to obtain airline services by deception. They pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to 22, 32 and 34 months' imprisonment respectively.
 
     The ImmD spokesman warned that, under the laws of Hong Kong, 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, October 2, 2024
Issued at HKT 17:21

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