Hong Kong Immigration Department has arrested nine local employers and 63 suspected illegal workersin a three-day operation codenamed "Breakthrough".

During the operation, 12 suspected forged HK identity cards, including two smart identity cards, and two reported lost Hong Kong identity cards were also found.

Operation "Breakthrough" began at 6:30 am on Tuesday and ended at 3:30 pm Thursday. Immigration investigators raided 60 locations including restaurants and flats under renovation in various districts.

As a result, 23 men and 40 women aged 20 to 55 were arrested for suspected breach of conditions of stay. Of the arrests, one woman is illegal immigrant from the Chinese mainland, another woman is an Indonesian domestic helper while the rest are Chinese mainland visitors and most of them came from Guangdong.

Seven male and two female employers were arrested for having suspected illegal workers.

The Immigration Department warns visitors are not allowed to take up employment, whether paid or unpaid, without prior permission from the Director of Immigration.

Source: Xinhua