Mainland ticket scalper jailed for two months for breaching stay conditions

Screengrab via Apple Daily video.
Screengrab via Apple Daily video.

It’s an issue that’s long frustrated fans in Hong Kong: touts snatching up and scalping tickets for popular shows.

Now, there’s been some justice.

A mainlander selling scalped tickets for a Hong Kong comedian’s sold out stand-up tour was yesterday jailed for two months.

Forty-two-year-old Huang Hongjun pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of his stay at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court, Apple Daily reports.

He arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday, August 29 as a visitor — which means he is not allowed to establish or take part in business — and was arrested the following Tuesday during a sting operation against mainland ticket scalpers.

Huang was detained near the exit of the Hung Hom MTR station, which is close to the Hong Kong Coliseum — where Dayo Wong Tze-wah’s stand-up tour was taking place.

The court heard that Huang had bought two tickets for HK$6,000 (US$764) from two people, with each ticket having a face value of HK$880 (US$112.)

Huang then approached an undercover officer asking if he wanted to buy the tickets, and sold them to him for HK$6,800 (US$866.)

In mitigation, the defense lawyer said that Huang works in electronic security in Shenzhen — an unstable job that earns him just HK$5,000 (US$637) per month — wanted to earn some quick cash, but felt remorseful that he broke the law.

The court also heard Huang is divorced, and is looking after his 10-year-old son and 65-year-old dad.

The magistrate said the maximum penalty was three years, but decided to give Huang two months jail time as he was a first-time offender and pleaded guilty.

Two more mainland men — Chen Jian and Chen Ji aged 36 and 50 respectively — were also arrested in the same undercover operation and charged with breaching the conditions of their stay.

Their case was mentioned in the same court on Wednesday, and the hearing has been adjourned until August 29.

Wong’s farewell standup tour was one of the hottest tickets in the city, and was the target of ticket scalpers this year.

Tickets for the show were priced between HK$280 to HK$880 (US$36 to US$112), but were sold out and re-appeared on second-party sites for several times the price.

The incident prompted the comedian to urge fans not to buy scalped tickets and to announce additional dates for the stand-up tour.

Under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, reselling tickets without consent is illegal, and offenders can be fined up to HK$2,000 (US$255).



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