Police Arrest Mainland Driver in Cross-Border Illegal Hire Crackdown
SingTao · 6 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police said they arrested a mainland driver in an undercover operation against suspected cross-border “white-plate” illegal hire-car services, after officers booked a trip through a social media account and boarded the vehicle before revealing their identities. The driver was arrested on suspicion of illegal carriage of passengers for reward, using a vehicle without third-party insurance, and breaching conditions of stay. Police said the private car involved was impounded for further examination, and that more arrests have not been ruled out in at least one of the investigations. The arrest came amid a broader week-long enforcement drive in which police said seven men had been arrested and seven private cars had been detained.
Key Points
- In the 3 November operation, officers posing as passengers booked a trip from Hong Kong to Huizhou for RMB1,500 through a social media intermediary.
- Police said the arrested driver in that case was a 50-year-old mainland man holding a two-way permit, and he was due in Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on 4 November.
- In a separate 4 November operation, officers booked a Tsuen Wan-to-Macau trip for RMB1,550 and arrested a 28-year-old mainland driver after the seven-seater set off.
- The vehicle in the Macau-bound case was described as a locally registered luxury seven-seater carrying both Hong Kong and mainland plates.
- Chief Superintendent Lam Chi-hang (林知行) said police had arrested seven men and impounded seven private cars in targeted operations across districts over the past week.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong travellers, the enforcement focus is not only on unlicensed passenger services but also on insurance and immigration-related risks tied to cross-border journeys. Police warned that if a vehicle is used for illegal hire, third-party insurance may become invalid, potentially leaving passengers and other road users without protection after an accident.