Scam netted suspects up to 40m yuan and allowed prostitutes into HK, Macau
The public security chief of Huizhou in Guangzhou is facing graft charges after being sacked last month for illegally selling two-way permits to mainlanders, including prostitutes seeking to work in Hong Kong and Macau.
Wu Huali , 48, and his accomplices were estimated to have made 20 to 40 million yuan from selling permits, the Beijing Times reported yesterday, putting the number issued at 3,000 to 4,000. More than 500 of those who bought permits to the two special administrative regions from Wu were found to have been engaged in prostitution.
The permits are said to cost 7,000 to 10,000 yuan each, while the application fee through legal channels is 120 yuan.
Police in Hong Kong yesterday revealed a top-level cross-border taskforce was set up to investigate corruption among mainland officials after the extent of the problem was exposed in a crackdown on sex workers in the city.
Former police commissioner Tsang Yam-pui is understood to have met Assistant Public Security Minister Meng Hongwei to discuss the matter.
Mr Tsang had been pushing for a 'more effective and stringent application process for two-way permit and passport holders; more effective screening at immigration control points; and enhancing local enforcement', the spokeswoman said last night.