Women fined for work in CanadaForeign nationals plead guilty to charges arising from escort services they operated Two foreign nationals who operated escort services out of two Halifax-area hotels were each fined $2,000 after pleading guilty Thursday to working in Canada without authorization. Ngai Tung Angel Wong, 40, of Hong Kong operated an escort service at a room in the Howard Johnson Inn on the Bedford Highway between Sept. 30 and Nov. 4. Zimeng Yu, 38, of China, operated an escort service out of the Delta Barrington in downtown Halifax from Oct. 1 to Monday. Both women were charged Monday under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, after a joint investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency and the Halifax Regional Police-RCMP vice unit resulted in search warrants being executed at their rooms. They have remained in custody since their arrests. The fines were a joint recommendation by the Crown and defence. Defence lawyer John Black asked Judge Marc Chisholm to allow Wong and Yu 30 days to pay the fines. Both Wong and Yu also waived their right to appeal. Neither woman had prior criminal records. Wong entered Canada on Sept. 30. “She did not obtain authorization to work in Canada at that time or subsequent to that time,” federal Crown prosecutor Tim McLaughlin told the Halifax court. On Oct. 23, Wong checked in at the Howard Johnson Inn and paid for her room with cash. She had no apparent local family or support, McLaughlin said. In Wong’s case, investigators found advertisements she posted Oct. 24 on backpage offering escort services. After collecting evidence and observing activity near the Howard Johnson, officers executed a search warrant on Wong’s room. Investigators found cash and other evidence associated with escort services, including a record sheet of income and disbursements, McLaughlin said. Yu entered Canada on Feb. 28, 2010, and initially sought refugee status, court heard. In early October, she checked in at the Delta Barrington. At about that time, McLaughlin said, advertisements began appearing on backpage for escort services at a location near Barrington and Duke streets. The advertisements posted by Yu listed her phone number. When the Canada Border Services Agency executed on Yu’s room Monday, they seized five cellphones that contained text messages that showed Yu had arranged appointments with clients and confirmed prices for the services she offered. Prior to entering the room, officers set up an appointment with Yu that was confirmed on one of her phones. Officers also seized documents showing that Yu had transferred money back to China, McLaughlin said. Both women face deportation. But the Canada Border Services Agency remained tight-lipped Thursday about when that will happen. “We don’t provide any further information as far as when individuals are going to be leaving or details on individuals when they’re removed from Canada,” Jennifer Morrison, a spokeswoman in Halifax, said in an interview. “I can say that that’s a given for any case.” Both women will be detained until they are deported
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 19:25:29 +0000
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