A 41-year-old businessman was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment today at the District Court for possessing false immigration documents and equipment for facilitating the forgery.

Arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Alan Ho was found guilty of two counts of possessing false instruments, and two of possessing equipment for making false instruments. He was further convicted of possessing an imitation firearm, and handling stolen goods.

Delivering the judgment, Deputy Judge Bina Chainrai said a custodial sentence was warranted in view of the serious offences committed.

In July last year, Police seized 11 forged immigration documents in the name of other people during a search at a North Point premises rented by Ho. Equipment for making the documents was also uncovered.

The ICAC then arrested Ho in Shau Kei Wan a month later, when 14 forged immigration documents, a plastic revolver and a bundle of keys were seized from him.

A stolen Mercedes-Benz, which was the subject of an armed robbery case, was also recovered.