Hong Kong police officers posed as passengers in sting operation on Uber drivers, court hears
The cases of two men who were among 23 drivers arrested during an undercover exercise last year were heard in court on Monday
A Hong Kong court on Monday ruled that two Uber drivers have a case to answer over allegations of carrying passengers without the necessary hire-car permits.
They were caught after police officers went undercover as passengers and hired cars via the Uber app, the Kowloon City Court heard on Monday, the first day of the trial.
Among those who answered booking requests made on April 28 last year were Yuong Ho-cheung, aged 39 and self-employed, and Yip Wai-ming, a 32-year-old restaurant manager.
Public prosecutor Marcus Lee Cheuk-wing said Yuong drove an officer from Kowloon Tong MTR Station to Nam Cheong Estate in an UberX for a fare of HK$56.64, while Yip drove another officer from Cheung Sha Wan to Baptist Hospital in an Uber Black for a fare of HK$173.68.
Both cars were coincidentally stopped by traffic police officers, who were unaware of the sting operation.