Uber got some unwelcome riders in Hong Kong today when undercover police officers used the on-demand car ride app – and then arrested the drivers once they’d reached their destination. Five unnamed drivers now face charges of operating illegal hire car services and not having third-party risks insurance.
After the five arrests, Hong Kong police then raided Uber’s office at around 2pm this afternoon, reports the Hong Kong Free Press. This photo from the Apple Daily shows police inspecting the office and taking away materials as evidence.
(Image: Apple Daily)
Hong Kong police also took away computers from Uber’s base. Tech in Asia has contacted Uber to comment on the raid and arrests.
Uber launched in Hong Kong in June 2014. It now offers three service tiers in the Chinese territory: UberBlack, UberTaxi, and UberVan.
Five arrested drivers had their cars impounded (Image: Apple Daily)
Aside from UberTaxi’s use of regulated city cabs, Uber’s other services operate in a legal grey area as they use private cars for paid rides in a manner similar to a standard taxi. The drivers are often untrained and might not have gone through background checks.
Several Uber offices in mainland China were raided by Chinese police earlier this year.
(Source: Hong Kong Free Press)
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