22 Filipinos arrested after police raid 2 bars in Hong Kong

Central, Hong Kong

The police arrested 22 Filipinos—two men and 20 women—when they recently raided two bars that allegedly had no license in Central.

A police spokesperson said members of the Regional Anti-Triad Unit and the Regional Special Deputy Squads mounted an operation, codenamed “Levington”, and arrested 23 men and 21 women, aged from 20 to 63, on March 9.

“Of the 44 arrested, 22 were Filipinos, including two man and 20 women,” the spokesperson said.

“One (Filipino) man was nabbed for selling liquor in an unlicensed place while the rest (of the Filipinos) were arrested for drinking liquor in an unlicensed establishment,” she added.

The spokesperson said the suspects were released after they posted police bail and were told to return to the police station later for investigation.

She said the two bars were located on Li Yuen St East and Li Yuen St West, which are popularly called “alley-alley” by overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong.

The police spokesperson said investigators also confiscated around 1,300 bottles of suspected alcoholic beverages worth around $31,000.

On January 26, the police arrested 36 Filipinos on a bar along Lei Yuen Street East that allegedly had no license.

“It is illegal for you to drink in an unlicensed place,” a police spokesperson said at the time.

The police officer said this is clearly stated under Hong Kong’s Dutiable Commodities (Liquor) Regulations.

“If a police officer finds any person drinking intoxicating liquor in any premises or place in which such liquor is sold by retail, and a liquor license or a temporary liquor license…is not, on demand, produced to him, the police officer may arrest any person found drinking therein,” the law says.

“Every such person, if such place is in fact unlicensed, be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine at level,” it added.

Under HK’s Criminal procedure Ordinance, a level 1 fine is equivalent to $2,000.