Immigration officers have arrested 15 people, including 14 Mainlanders and one Hong Kong resident in a two-day operation against illegal workers.

The Mainlanders are suspected to have breached their conditions of stay, while the local is believed to have aided and abetted their breach.

Acting on intelligence, officers conducted identity checks on 25 people at 17 targeted locations. Nine Mainland men and five women aged 22 to 55 were arrested. They came from Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Jiangmen. They were found working collecting garbage and selling second-hand electronic appliances and mobile phones.

Visitors are not allowed to take up employment, whether paid or unpaid, without prior permission from the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for two years.

The department also warned that it is an offence to employ someone who is not lawfully employable. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.

It stressed that it will continue its efforts to combat immigration offenders and prosecute employers who hire illegal workers.