HONG KONG: An operator at the Hung Hom jewelry shop where mainland tourist Miao Chunqi was allegedly beaten to death was arrested for forcing tourists to buy.
The 59-year-old woman is suspected to have committed an offense of engaging in an aggressive commercial practice under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, the Customs and Excise Department said last night.
Those convicted under the ordinance face up to a HK$500,000 fine and five years in jail.
It was the first such arrest since the law was expanded in scope in 2013.
Her arrest came after dozens of customs officers of the Unfair Trade Practice Investigation Group inspected the D2 jewelry shop yesterday morning. The case is still under investigation and further arrests may be made.
No charges have been laid.
Customs said the action was taken when they received a complaint early last month that a tourist had been forced to buy an ornament at the store worth HK$2,000.
The victim claimed she did not want to make any purchase, but was harassed and coerced into spending HK$2,000 to buy an ornament, said Hui Wai-ming, who headed the squad.
Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said the latest customs operation posed a “positive message” to the tourism industry.
The operation can make tourists realize the SAR adheres to the rule of law and there is a sound mechanism to protect consumers’ rights, he said.
Miao, from Heilongjiang and member of a tour that visited the store, was believed to have been struck by his tour guides because he and his acquaintance Zhang Lixia refused to purchase jewelry from the store on October 19. Miao died the following day.
A mainland tour guide, Liu Yang, 32, and local guide Woo Yin-nam, 44, earlier appeared in Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court on one count of manslaughter in connection with Miao’s death.
The prosecution said CCTV footage showed several people punched and kicked Miao outside the store. Woo admitted under caution that he kicked the victim, but insisted he was trying to stop the violence. Liu denied hitting Miao, but admitted dragging him outside.
One or two suspects are still at large.
The case was adjourned for mention in Kowloon City court on December 22, with Liu and Woo remanded in custody.
