Hong Kong, Nov 22: A Pakistani man who tried to sneak into Hong Kong in a suitcase and the two Indian smugglers who helped him have each been sentenced to 10 months in prison, newspapers reported. Abdul Basit, 32, pleaded guilty to a charge of entering Hong Kong without permission and was ordered jailed yesterday by the Kwun Tong Magistracy, the South China Morning Post and other newspapers reported.

His smugglers, Ravinder Singh, 23, and Amarjit Singh, 37, also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Basit's illegal entry.

Judiciary spokeswoman Jamie said she had no information on the case.

The Indian pair had offered to smuggle Basit into Hong Kong for an unspecified fee, hiding him in a large suitcase inside a public toilet in the Chinese border city of Shenzhen on November 5, the Post reported. Ravinder Singh then carried the luggage through Hong Kong customs at the Lowu checkpoint, but was intercepted by immigration officials, who were suspicious of the bulky suitcase, the report said.

Authorities arrested the men after they asked Singh to open the suitcase and found Basit hiding inside, the report said. Bureau Report