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A 54-year-old US woman was jailed for eight months for possessing a forged United States passport which she presented for check-in for a Mainland resident who was trying to sneak into the US, an Immigration spokesman said today (January 20).
Chui Yim-ling was charged with one count of possession of forged travel documents. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced at the Shatin Magistracy.
The defendant and a male Mainland resident were intercepted by Immigration investigators at the boarding gate of a US-bound flight at Hong Kong International Airport on September 23, 2005. The Mainland visitor presented a US passport and a boarding pass in the name of another person. Investigators also found a pair of fake Hong Kong immigration stamp impressions in the passport.
The defendant admitted that she was asked by a person "Ah Keung" to escort the Mainland resident to San Francisco in return for a free air ticket. The defendant confessed that she was responsible for interpretation and filing forms for the Mainland resident. She also assisted the Mainland resident during check-in by presenting the forged US passport to airline staff.
Subsequent forensic examination confirmed that the US passport was a forgery.
The Mainland resident was earlier sentenced to six months imprisonment on one count of possession of a forged travel document, two counts of possessing a false instrument and one count of making a false representation to an Immigration assistant.
"Under the laws of Hong Kong, anyone who possesses a false travel document commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, January 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:55
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