​Targeting the illegal hawking of cable car tickets in Tung Chung, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) conducted an operation against such illegal activities at Mei Tung Street, Tung Chung today (February 9). During the operation, the FEHD officers disguised as customers to gather evidence at the stalls located at the mentioned address. It was discovered that two men were selling Ngong Ping 360 cable car ticket redemption vouchers. The FEHD officers promptly intervened, arresting and charging the above-mentioned persons for illegal hawking without licence, and illegal hawking without licence and causing obstruction in public place respectively.

     The arrested persons were a 56-year-old man and a 49-year-old man, both holding Hong Kong identity cards. During the operation, the FEHD officers seized items including price tags and metal folding tables.

     During an earlier joint operation by the FEHD and the Hong Kong Police Force on January 30 at Mei Tung Street, Tung Chung, a man and a woman were arrested for illegal hawking without licence and causing obstruction in public place, while the commodities and equipment involved were seized. The FEHD continued to monitor the relevant situation, and has launched an operation against illegal hawking without licence at Mei Tung Street for five days from February 5. The FEHD officers today discovered the illegal acts and arrested the suspects.

     The FEHD reminds that according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), no one is allowed to trade on the streets unless he holds a valid hawker licence issued by the Department. Offenders will be prosecuted and, upon conviction, a maximum penalty of $10,000 fine and six months' imprisonment will be imposed, and the commodities and equipment involved will be seized and confiscated. In addition, if the illegal hawking activities also cause obstruction to the public place, the offender will also be charged under the Summary Offenses Ordinance (Cap. 228). Upon conviction, a maximum penalty of $25,000 or three months' imprisonment will be imposed.

     The FEHD will continue to liaise with relevant organisations and departments to look into the source of the cable car tickets with a view to curbing the illegal hawking problem.

Ends/Sunday, February 9, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:09

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