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| Law enforcers carried out the anti-scalper operation at the Wan Chai tennis courts (File) |
Three people, including a female foreign domestic helper, have been arrested for selling tennis court booking permits, according to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
The arrests were made on July 13 during a joint operation between LCSD, the police and Immigration Department at the tennis courts in Wong Nai Chung Road in Wanchai.
However, the three suspected scalpers were arrested at the tennis courts in Victoria Park.
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According to the LCSD, the FDH was also arrested on suspicion of breaching her condition of stay by transferring permits for the tennis court she booked in exchange for rewards.
Also among those arrested was someone suspected of using and possessing another person’s Hong Kong identity card without reasonable excuse, which also violated Immigration laws.
LCSD said further arrests cannot be ruled out as a result of these cases.
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In addition, four hirers of tennis courts were found to have violated the terms of use of recreation and sports facilities set by the LCSDm and were promptly penalized accordingly.
One of the violators was found to have used the someone else’s HKID card to check-in for a game, resulting in the LCSD suspending the booking rights of the listed hirer for 360 days, or one year.
The LCSD urges the public not to buy sessions or booking services from scalpers as the rules require that user permits are non-transferable.
Additionally, users of the LCSD’s “SmartPLAY” platform are reminded to manage their accounts responsibly, and avoid sharing their account details or disclosing their user account numbers and passwords to third parties.
Failure to provide accurate information or comply with the conditions of use of SmartPLAY bookings may lead to LCSD cancelling their account or suspending it for 180 days.
LCSD also said it will continue collaborating with law enforcement agencies in targeting touting activities and other criminal offences relating to the use of public sport facilities.
Public sports and leisure facilities are highly coveted especially during the weekends, that people anxious to book them often spend nights or early mornings trying their luck. Those who do not have the time or the patience to go through the tedious process are known to get someone else to do it for them, or buy off bookings from others.
Tennis bookings, in particular, are difficult to come by as there are not enough facilities for the big number of people who play the sport, including many FDHs who even hold tournaments on their days off.
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