5 cabbies arrested over exploiting ‘free ride’ policy for Hong Kong fire victims
Police say five drivers, aged 29 to 40, arrested for allegedly attempting to defraud online ride-hailing platform
Five Hong Kong taxi drivers have been arrested for allegedly attempting to defraud an online ride-hailing platform during relief efforts in the aftermath of the Tai Po fire.
Police said on Tuesday that the five drivers, aged 29 to 40, were arrested a day earlier after the force launched an investigation in response to a police report from the platform’s operator.
In the aftermath of last month’s fire at Wang Fuk Court, the platform had launched a “free ride” initiative for people affected by the blaze to help them get to and from three designated hospitals and seven temporary shelters.
Cabbies taking part in the initiative were able to send the relevant receipts to the operator for reimbursement of expenses.
Police said the platform later identified seven suspicious trip records as part of a routine verification of submitted receipts, with the total amount claimed standing at about HK$3,000 (US$385.9).
The company suspected that the trips had been falsified in an attempt to fraudulently obtain reimbursement, the force added.
The Wan Chai police district’s criminal investigation unit took up the case, with the investigation spanning across multiple districts, leading to the arrests of the five drivers.