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A total of 35 suspected illegal workers and 18 employers/persons-in-charge of workplaces have been arrested in 12 anti-illegal employment operations mounted jointly by the Labour Department, the Police and the Immigration Department this month.
The law enforcement departments raided 78 suspected spots including retail shops, eating places, interior decoration sites, hair salons and foot massage shops in the 12 joint operations mounted throughout the territory.
"In 2006, a total of 108 employers were sentenced to immediate imprisonment for employing illegal workers. Employing illegal workers is a serious offence and even a first-time offender will be sentenced to three months' imprisonment," a spokesman for the Labour Department said.
Among the 35 suspected illegal workers arrested in March this year, three were overstayers, a worker could not produce any proof of identity and the remaining were mostly two-way permit holders from the Mainland.
The illegal workers were found mainly working as sales assistants in retail shops, waiters in eating places, and kitchen helpers or cleaners in kitchens of eating places.
"In the first three months this year, the Labour Department has mounted a total of 45 joint operations with other enforcement departments. The Labour Department will continue to stamp out illegal employment so as to safeguard local workers' job opportunities," the spokesman continued.
The spokesman also urged the public to report illegal employment activities to the Labour Department's hotline 2815 2200. All information provided will be handled in strict confidence.
Ends/Saturday, March 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:10
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