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A Malaysian visitor was jailed today (May 23) for being in possession of forged immigration stamp dies.
The 26-year-old male defendant, Chong Yong Nam, pleaded guilty at the Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today to one count of possessing false instruments. He was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment on the charge.
Immigration investigators took over the case from the Airport Customs and Excise officers who found in the defendant's possession some immigration rubber stamp facings of various countries during a body search on March 17, 2006.
The defendant admitted to having been asked by an African at Kuala Lumpur Airport to bring stamp dies together with some stamp pads, inks and date chops to Hong Kong for monetary reward. He was to drop them all in a litter bin at the airport on arrival.
Forensic examination revealed that the five stamp dies of Indonesia, Vietnam and Canada were forgeries.
Under the laws of Hong Kong, anyone who has in his custody a false instrument commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 14 years.
Ends/Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:52
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