Hong Kong District police have taken a travel service agent into custody for providing illegal documents that allowed people to go overseas.

Investigators were tipped to the suspect in May when Shanghai resident Huang Ying went to Macau several times for gambling with 15 friends, officers said yesterday. Huang reportedly held business travel permits for several companies.

The police traced the companies and found that all but one, Hengchan Co Ltd, had gone bankrupt.

That company told police it did not employ anyone named Huang Ying. But it did say that it gave a man named Ge Hui the company's credentials and seals in 2006 when the company was started, and Ge returned the articles after finishing the registration procedures.

Ge Hui was familiar with exit formalities as he worked in a local travel agency, police said.

Ge used the company's credentials and seals to fabricate identification information for his friends and obtain travel permits for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, charging 1,500 yuan (US$220) to 2,500 yuan per permit, according to authorities.

He also used other companies's credentials and seals after helping them complete the Industrial and Commercial Administration Bureau's annual inspection, police said.

Ge arranged illegal travel permits to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan for 16 people, according to officers.

(Shanghai Daily October 22, 2008)