Sha Tin Magistracy has jailed four Mainlanders for up to 18 months for entering into bogus marriages with Hong Kong residents.

The first case involved 22-year-old Mainlander Fu Yong-yi who paid $38,000 for the marriage to get an exit permit. His bogus wife, Hong Kong resident Chen Siu-ying, received $8,000 for the marriage. Fu was sentenced to 18 months jail while Chen was remanded in custody pending a background report.

The second case involved 25-year-old Mainland woman Wang Xiao-hong who was sentenced to 18 months jail. Wang was arrested while she was working illegally in Yuen Long. She entered into a bogus marriage with a Hong Kong resident in October 2005 to get exit endorsements to enter Hong Kong for illegal employment.

The third case concerned 22-year-old Mainlander Su Xiangjian who paid 30,000 renminbi to marry a Hong Kong resident on the Mainland in September to obtain an exit endorsement. Su was sentenced to 12 months jail.

The last case concerned Mainland woman Chen Yanxiang. Chen, 42, was intercepted at Lo Wu control point earlier this month, claiming to be visiting her resident husband. She admitted that she had agreed with a middleman to enter into a bogus marriage with a Hong Kong resident for 25,000 renminbi. She intended to make use of the bogus marriage to acquire a 90-day visa. She was sentenced to 12 months jail.