There are also a number of mainland women working as prostitutes in the two special administrative regions, according to Guangdong frontier defence troop yesterday.

Also yesterday, the troop announced its garrison in Shenzhen had arrested a seven-member human trafficking gang that had smuggled young women into Hong Kong by sampan since April.

The well-organized gang was trying to send two women to Hong Kong from Shekou of Shenzhen. The women were also arrested.

After an investigation, gang members confessed they had sent a total of nine people illegally into Hong Kong on eight trips.

The number of stowaways to Hong Kong and Macao from the mainland had dropped dramatically over the past few years.

More than 30,000 people from Hong Kong and 4,000 from Macao were repatriated to the mainland in 1998.

That figure fell by 92.3 per cent and 89 per cent, respectively, to 2,375 and 501 last year.

But, without giving specific figures, the troop said the number of illegal immigrants had risen slightly again in the first few months of this year.

Besides the troop's continuous efforts in tracking down illegal smuggling activities, the narrowing gap between living standards in Hong Kong and Macao, and mainland cities is also an important reason behind the falling number, said troop leaders.

However, factors including the weather, the season and the demands of Hong Kong and Macao for illegal mainland labours will cause short-term variations, they noted.

(China Daily 09/21/2006 page3)