12 arrested for allegedly selling fake G-Dragon, G.E.M. concert tickets in Hong Kong

Hong Kong and Shenzhen police have broken up a cross-border syndicate and arrested 12 people for allegedly scamming victims out of more than HK$100,000 (US$12,740) with fake tickets to local shows by acts such as K-pop star G-Dragon and Cantopop singer G.E.M.

The force said on Sunday that joint operations with Shenzhen police had dismantled a syndicate that operated a workshop to produce fake tickets for concerts and sports events in the neighbouring Chinese city. Errand runners in Hong Kong were used to deliver tickets to victims.

“The tickets we intercepted are highly similar to real ones in terms of font, counter-counterfeiting features and materials,” said Superintendent Wan King-hang of the Kowloon East regional headquarters’ crime division.

“Residents might easily fall into such fake ticket traps.”

The arrests were made between Tuesday and Saturday for events from June to August, including G-Dragon’s three sold-out concerts at AsiaWorld-Arena and coming shows by singer Gloria Tang Tsz-kei, also known as G.E.M., at Kai Tak Stadium starting this Friday, police said.

Across the border, three Hongkongers and one mainland Chinese were arrested by Shenzhen police for allegedly fabricating value-bearing coupons, an offence punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years on the mainland.