The Immigration Department has, for the first time, caught and jailed a Mainlander who tried to enter Hong Kong by using a forged identity card through an e-channel.

He was sentenced to 12 months prison today. He Fuxiang, 40, pleaded guilty at the Sha Tin Magistracy to a charge of using a forged ID card. He paid 250 yuan for the card bearing his personal particulars through a middle-man in Shenzhen, to find a job in Hong Kong.

On February 13 he tried to use the fake card to enter Hong Kong through Lo Wu checkpoint and was arrested.

A 24-year-old man who tried to enter the same way will appear at Sha Tin Magistracy tomorrow.