Two Hong Kong residents were convicted in the District Court of helping three Mainland residents make false representations to an Immigration officer and travel to London under other people's identities.

The case was adjourned to August 11 for a background report and sentencing. Both defendants were remanded in custody.

Defendants Hung Kong-nam, 31, and Cheng Yung, 39, were jointly charged with three counts of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring three Mainland residents to make false representation as to their destination as Bangkok, three counts of conspiracy to defraud, three counts of possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards and three counts of possession of false instruments.

They were convicted on all charges after a District Court trial. 

Immigration investigators spotted five people - the two defendants and three Mainland residents - exchanging something inside the transit lounge at Hong Kong International Airport in August 2004.

The three Mainland residents each had a genuine Hong Kong passport, a forged HKID card with their photos, a boarding pass for London and a forged credit card. The names shown on the documents were not those of the Mainland residents.

Defendants lied to officers

Hung told investigators he was going to London for sightseeing and he did not know the other four people. Cheng said a friend had asked him to accompany the three Mainland residents to Bangkok for sightseeing. He said he did not know Hung. 

Immigration investigators found a former travel agent who said Cheng had asked him to book two sets of air tickets, to London and Bangkok. Airline staff identified Hung during an identity parade and said he had checked in for the flight to London with the three Mainland residents who had Hong Kong passports.