Hong Kong police seize Afghan asylum

The arrest early Saturday of the nine Afghans — including a family with two young children — came as authorities in the southern Chinese city called for changes to a law that has led to a recent influx of asylum seekers.

Also aboard the 10 meter (33 foot) unlit wooden boat were 10 Pakistanis and a Nepali, police said, adding that there were no life jackets on the vessel, which was only designed to carry five people.

A 24-year-old Chinese man, suspected of aiding the migrants' entry bid from the mainland city of Shenzhen, was also taken into custody, police said.

The 20 asylum seekers had paid between 4,000 and 5,000 yuan (US$585 and US$730) for the journey.

The arrests come two weeks after marine police seized two other boats carrying South Asian asylum seekers.

The number of illegal migrants entering Hong Kong has been rising since a court ruling in March allowed asylum seekers to work in the city while awaiting a decision on their immigration status.

Legislators are trying to pass a law that will end this concession.

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