12 held in crackdown on illegal cross-border car hires

Police have arrested 12 drivers suspected of providing illegal cross-border hire cars over the past two weeks, Police Commissioner Joe Chow said. Speaking after a police passing-out parade, he said the arrests were part of a series of operations targeting unlicensed cross-border hire cars, commonly known as "white licence" cars, including one near Kai Tak, where a large concert was being held. Chow said officers made no arrests on Friday night but towed away a modified seven-seater vehicle. Police, he said, had also published short promotional videos on social media urging tourists and locals not to use cross-border white licence cars. He said the force would continue similar operations in the coming nights and around other large events. Asked whether the police would work with mainland departments to tighten licensing criteria, Chow said police had long maintained close contact with different departments across the border. "We will continue to maintain coordination and contact with them in all aspects in the hope of further improving the situation," he said. Edited by Robert Kemp