(Video) Passengers playing mahjong on MTR fined HK$5,000

Five men playing mahjong on an MTR train last October were fined HK$5,000 in total, after they were convicted of causing nuisance in public places and violating MTR by-laws.

A video went viral online last October, showing several passengers playing mahjong inside an MTR carriage. 

In the video, several men a mahjong table, attracting onlookers who filmed the scene with their phones. One player stood when playing the game, while another squatted on the floor.

MTR Corp said the five started playing after getting onboard at Mongkok station on October 13 last year. They went on until they got off at Choi Hung station.

Police officers from the Wong Tai Sin division found the video was taken during evening rush hour on a Kwun Tong line train heading towards Tiu Keng Leng. 

After investigation, five men, aged 20 to 27, were arrested on November 13 last year for nuisances committed in public places. 

Further investigation showed four of them paid their fares with elderly Octopus cards, and the remaining one brought an oversize luggage -- the mahjong table -- into the paid area of stations.

The five were fined HK$2,500 for nuisances committed in public places on Monday at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts. 

Four of them, aged between 20 and 24, were each fined HK$500 for paying elderly fares although they are young adults.

A 27-year-old man was fined HK$500 for violating a MTR by-laws for bringing with him the mahjong table. 

The fines for the five people add up to HK$5,000 in total.