HONG KONG: Marine police seized a boat smuggling in illegal Afghan migrants at the weekend - the first time that nationals from the war-torn country had been caught entering the city claiming to be asylum seekers, police said on Sunday.

The arrest early on Saturday of the nine Afghans - including a couple with two young children and one other woman - occurred at a time when Hong Kong is about to tighten its immigration law in response to a recent influx of foreign migrants seeking asylum.

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.

On average, the status of an asylum seeker takes about 14 months to be determined, said Hong Kong's Ming Pao Daily.

Legislators are trying to pass an amendment this month to end this concession, which is believed to have spurred the rise in immigration numbers, local media said.

Just two weeks ago, marine police seized two other boats carrying South Asians who claimed to be asylum seekers.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.