Hong Kong immigration authorities arrested 21 people, including 14 suspected illegal workers and seven employers, in an eight-day operation targeting foreign domestic helpers who allegedly violated their work conditions.
The Immigration Department, known as ImmD, launched “Operation Swordfish” from Nov. 4 to 11, raiding 47 locations across the city, including restaurants, coffee shops, retail shops, barbecue sites, activity venues, employment agencies and commercial buildings.
The suspected illegal workers — three men and 11 women aged 27 to 51 — included five current domestic helpers, four former helpers who had overstayed their visas, two people on recognizance forms barring them from employment, one imported worker, one visitor and one illegal immigrant. Most were Indonesian or Filipino nationals.
ImmD investigators found the majority performing unauthorized tasks such as dishwashing and cleaning, earning daily wages of $100 to $400. In one case, two 35-year-old Filipino men working as current domestic helpers were discovered at a mountain bike practice ground in Sheung Shui, where they handled maintenance and cleaning duties. The pair also posed as unlicensed instructors, offering driving lessons without certification.
At a barbecue site in Tai Po, two Filipino women employed as domestic helpers were caught working as kitchen assistants, preparing and handling barbecue ingredients.
The seven suspected employers — two men and five women aged 30 to 74 — managed the involved businesses or restaurants and face charges for hiring the illegal workers or allowing current helpers to perform non-contractual duties.
Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong, who number in the hundreds of thousands, are permitted to work only in households under strict visa conditions. Breaches can result in deportation, fines or imprisonment.
ImmD said the operation underscores its commitment to enforcing employment regulations amid ongoing concerns over labor exploitation. Further investigations are underway, with court dates pending for the arrestees.
