In a concerning development, Hong Kong migrant workers are suffering severe financial distress as their earnings are being frozen due to allegations of money laundering activities. This issue has left many of these workers, who toil tirelessly to support their families, in a desperate situation with no clear recourse.
One notable case is that of Lai, a 53-year-old nursing assistant who, after 13 years of service in Hong Kong, found herself embroiled in this financial nightmare. In November 2022, Lai transferred HK$64,725 to her family's bank account in mainland China through a money changer in Sham Shui Po. Shortly after, she was informed by the Chinese public security that her remittance was suspected of being involved in money laundering, resulting in the freezing of her account.
Initially told the freeze would last six months, Lai has now been unable to access her funds for nearly two years, a devastating blow given the modest nature of her wages. Her case is not an isolated incident, as the Migrant Nursing Assistants Mutual Aid Group has collected 19 similar cases within two months, with sums involved reaching up to HK$140,000.
The plight of these workers is compounded by the closure of the involved money changers, leaving them with no one to hold accountable. Another worker, Lam, a fifth-year migrant nursing assistant, experienced a comparable ordeal. After remitting RMB 58,000 for her mother's medical treatment through a money changer that had undergone several name changes, her funds were also frozen. In desperation, she agreed to let the public security withhold half of the remitted amount to unfreeze the rest, yet the dilemma persists as the money changer has since shut down.
The Mutual Aid Group is urging the Hong Kong government and the China Liaison Office to establish a dedicated Sino-Hong Kong department to actively assist in proving the innocence of the victims and facilitate the recovery and unfreezing of their accounts. Moreover, they call for enhanced public education to prevent further victimization of migrant workers and citizens.
These cases highlight the precarious financial situation faced by Hong Kong's migrant worker community, who often rely on their meager earnings to support their families both in Hong Kong and in their home countries. The frozen accounts and unsubstantiated money laundering allegations have left them in a state of utter helplessness, underscoring the need for immediate and decisive action to address this pressing issue.
香港移民工人在內地面臨凍結賬戶及遭指控洗錢
令人關注的是,香港移民工人正面臨嚴重的財務困境,因為他們的收入因被指涉及洗錢活動而被凍結。這個問題讓這些辛勤工作以支持家人的工人陷入絕望的境地,他們無法尋求任何明確的補救措施。
其中一個顯著的案例是53歲的護理助理黎女士。在香港服務13年後,她也陷入了這場財務噩夢。2022年11月,黎女士在深水埗的一家兌換店將64,725港元匯到她在內地的家人銀行賬戶。不久之後,她被中國公安告知,她的匯款被懷疑涉及洗錢活動,導致她的賬戶被凍結。
原本被告知凍結將持續六個月,但黎女士至今已無法取用她的資金近兩年,這對她微薄的工資來說是一個災難性的打擊。她的案例並非個例,移民護理助理互助小組在短短兩個月內收集到19起類似案件,涉及金額高達14萬港元。
這些工人的處境雪上加霜的是,相關的兌換店已經關閉,讓他們無處申訴。另一名五年級的移民護理助理林女士也遭遇類似的困境。在通過多次更名的兌換店匯款5.8萬人民幣給母親醫療費後,她的資金也被凍結。她不得不同意公安扣留匯款的一半才能解凍剩下的部分,但由於兌換店已經關閉,困境仍在持續。
互助小組呼籲香港政府和中聯辦設立一個專門的中港部門,積極協助受害者證明清白,並促進其賬戶的資金恢復和解凍。此外,他們還呼籲加強公眾教育,以防止更多移民工人和公民成為受害者。
這些案例突顯了香港移民工人群體所面臨的脆弱財務狀況,他們經常依賴微薄的收入來支援香港和家鄉的家人。被凍結的賬戶和無根據的洗錢指控,使他們陷入了完全無助的境地,凸顯了迫切需要採取果斷行動來解決這個嚴重問題。
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