A HAWKER yesterday admitted taking part in a sophisticated, large-scale operation to forge Hongkong British passports and Hongkong identity cards. Lee Yan-chi, 31, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to forge Hongkong identity cards, possession of nine forged British Hongkong passports and one forged Portuguese passport and possession of implements for forgery. He was originally charged with seven other offences allegedly arising from the same incident but the Crown decided not proceed with them. Deputy High Court Judge Daniell deferred sentencing and called for a background report. Senior Crown Counsel Mr John McMaster told the court that after a month-long surveillance operation, police and immigration officers raided a Shamshuipo roof-top flat on January 14, 1991. They found that the flat was fitted out as a complete forgery workshop with every piece of equipment necessary to forge copies of Hongkong identity cards and British Hongkong machine-readable passports. There was also a number of forged dies to enable various immigration entry and exit chops to be inserted in the forged passports. A stock of completed and partially completed forged passports was also located together with a number of genuine passports and parts of Hongkong identity cards. The flat was found to be rented by Lee under a false name and he was arrested later the same evening at the Macau Ferry Terminal as he was about to leave Hongkong. Investigations revealed that the prices paid for the forgeries ranged from $4,000 to $4,500. The vast quantity of items and equipment seized clearly showed the sophistication and scope of the operation, Mr McMaster told the court.
