36 Filipinos arrested for drinking alcohol in unlicensed Hong Kong bar

The entrance to alley-alley in Central (Photo: Google Maps)

The Hong Kong Police Force arrested 36 Filipinos who were caught drinking in an unlicensed bar in Central on Saturday.

A police spokesperson said a total of 56 persons were arrested during the raid on Saturday morning at a bar along Lei Yuen Street East, popular known to Filipinos as “alley-alley”, in Central. The bar allegedly had no liquor license.

“There were 56 persons arrested and 36 were Filipinos. All Filipinos were nabbed for drinking in unlicensed places,” the spokesman said.

“It is illegal for you to drink in an unlicensed place,” he added.

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.

The police spokesman said the Filipinos had been released on police bail and were told to report back to the police station next month or in March. He could not say how many among them were women and how many were men.

He added that the bar owner was not Filipino and that investigators confiscated more than 700 bottles of alcohol, “almost all of which were beer.”