Police arrested two local male taxi drivers, aged 43 and 66, in Sai Kung on Wednesday for allegedly overcharging passengers by about double the correct fare, in an operation codenamed "KICKSTARTER" ahead of the Labour Day Golden Week holiday.
Officers from the Traffic Kowloon East posed as passengers during the operation. The two drivers were arrested on suspicion of "overcharging"," failing to display a taxi driver identity card in the card holder," and "failing to display a taxi meter indicator." They charged about HK$300 and HK$540 respectively, roughly twice the proper fare. Both taxis have been impounded for further inspection.
Separately, two other taxi drivers, aged 50 and 32, were issued summonses for "breach of taxi stand rules" after parking their vehicles at the front of a taxi stand with "out of service" signs displayed. One of those taxis was also towed for inspection due to defects.
Police said seven drivers arrested during similar operations in the East Dam area during the Lunar New Year have been convicted, with fines ranging from HK$3,000 to HK$6,000, and each receiving 10 demerit points under the taxi demerit points system. Overcharging carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and a HK$10,000 fine upon first conviction.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
