Isn’t it just the worst when the unwitting tourist you try to rip off turns out to be an undercover cop? We can’t say we relate, but it appears that a growing number of Hong Kong taxi drivers can (Exhibit A).
At around 8pm on Saturday, an undercover policeman posing as a tourist flagged down a cab at the Peak Galleria and asked to be driven to the Fringe Club on Lower Albert Road, at the top of Lan Kwai Fong.
According to Oriental Daily, the cabbie failed to turn on his meter, then asked for HKD400 once he reached his destination – which is roughly four to eight times more than the journey would normally cost… you know, if the person behind the wheel isn’t a crook.
At that moment, the faux-foreign passenger revealed his identity as a police officer and arrested the taxi driver on suspicion of overcharging and failing to use a taximeter. Aaaand scene.
We wonder if the policeman suddenly switched from an out-of-town accent to flawless Cantonese, or if he simply flashed his badge and said, “You dun goofed, son.” Probably neither. We may never know what dramatic flourishes these convincing coppers have up their (plainclothes) sleeves.
The cab driver, a 38-year-old surnamed Wong, was then arrested and taken into police custody for further questioning.
By law, a taxi driver who overcharges, rejects or touts passengers can be punished by six months’ imprisonment and a HKD10,000 fine.
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