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Police today (August 19) appealed to the public and tourists to watch out for illegal touting activities and make use of public transport.
The appeal was made following the arrest of 19 people in connection with a suspected illegal touting syndicate on Hong Kong Island yesterday (August 18).
Police received complaints that there was a syndicate selling bargain packages, which included admission tickets to Ocean Park packaged with free transport from Admiralty to the Park by private cars or coaches.
After extensive investigation, officers of Task Force Traffic Hong Kong Island mounted an operation codenamed ¡§Vulavula¡¨ near the exit of MTR Admiralty Station and the vicinity of Ocean Park yesterday morning.
Police arrested sixteen men and three women aged between 26 and 70 for ¡§Carrying on Business as a Travel Agent without a Licence¡¨, ¡§Carrying Passengers for Hire or Reward when a Hire Car Permit was not in Force¡¨ and ¡§Soliciting any Person for Hire or Reward to Travel in any Vehicle without a Hire Car Permit¡¨. They were released on police bail pending further investigation. During the operation, Police seized cash of about HKD$126,000, RMB 20,000 and foreign currencies about HKD$1,400, a receipt book and some name cards under the name of a travel agent.
A 28-year-old woman holding a two-way permit was also charged with breach of condition of stay and will appear before Eastern Magistrates¡¦ Courts tomorrow (August 20).
Investigations are underway by the District Investigation Team of Central District.
¡§Police attach importance to illegal use of private cars for hire which may not be covered by insurance and groups purporting to operate as a licensed travel agency,¡¨ a Police spokesman said.
Police Report No. 4
Ends/Thursday, August 19, 2010
Issued at HKT 21:41
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