Man jailed for 2 months in Hong Kong ride-hailing case, banned from driving for a year
Mainland Chinese visitor offered paid rides after entering city on two-way permit and was caught in police sting against illegal hire car services
A mainland Chinese visitor has been jailed for two months and disqualified from driving in Hong Kong for a year after he was found to have offered ride-hailing services without the required permit.
Ye Hai, 41, on Wednesday admitted to offering paid rides using the online mapping service Amap on July 7, three days after he entered Hong Kong on a two-way permit.
He pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Court to breaching his condition of stay, driving a motor vehicle for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, and using a vehicle without third party insurance.
The court heard Ye was arrested during a sting operation by police that targeted illegal hire-car services.
Using a Toyota Prius he borrowed from his friend, Ye took an undercover officer from a private housing complex in Yau Ma Tei to a location in Sham Shui Po, before two other constables intercepted him at a nearby junction.
The defence said Ye committed the offences out of his ignorance of the laws of Hong Kong.