An illegal immigrant, on the run from the authorities for eight years, has been uncovered by Merimbula Police after the documents he produced aroused their suspicions.
The 56-year-old Chinese national had been living locally for the last month and had been employed in Merimbula but had been in the country and on the run from 2004.
But the man’s demise occurred when he was involved in a car accident at 11.30pm on Tuesday, January 8 at Tura Beach.
Sergeant Cliff Scarlett, of Merimbula Police said: “He handed police what appeared to be false identification and was detained overnight. He was put before the court and subsequent inquiries and separate inquiries by the Immigration Department confirmed him as an illegal from 2004.”
Sergeant Scarlett added: “He had been living locally in Bega for about the last month and had used false documents to get work in Merimbula.”
The man remains in custody and can expect to be returned to the Chinese mainland. Sergeant Scarlett said that police were suspicious from the start and praised the work of the local force in uncovering the illegal alien.