Hong Kong – FEHD steps up enforcement against suspected organised unlicensed hawking activities in Sham Shui Po District over past few days (with photos)

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (April 13) that the FEHD and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) have conducted law enforcement operations in Sham Shui Po over the past few days to combat the increasingly rampant and suspected organised unlicensed hawking activities in the district, so as to keep streets clear of obstruction and maintain environment hygiene.

     The spokesman said that the department noticed that there have been a large number of suspected organised unlicensed hawking activities in Sham Shui Po recently in the evening and at night hours, including using vehicles as stalls to occupy the road for selling, causing serious nuisance to the public. Regarding unlicensed hawking activities near Pei Ho Street Market, the FEHD has received 156 complaints in the first three months of this year. Persons involved in unlicensed hawking activities have repeatedly ignored warnings issued by FEHD staff and even abused them. Intimidating behavior is unacceptable and it is necessary for the FEHD to step up its crackdowns. 

     The FEHD, together with the HKPF, conducted raids in the area of Tai Nan Street, Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building and Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po for five consecutive days from April 8 to 12. During the operations over the past few days, the FEHD conducted a total of 27 prosecutions against relevant offenders for suspected unlicensed hawking and obstruction of public places, and seized approximately 3.2 tonnes of goods or articles. The age of the unlicensed hawking persons involved ranged from 25 to 59 years old. During the operations, the HKPF also prosecuted relevant vehicles that violated regulations and caused obstructions, and issued a total of 36 fixed penalty notices. The person who acted intimidatingly towards FEHD staff has been arrested by the HKPF and is under investigation.

     According to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), no person is allowed to hawk on the streets unless he holds a valid hawker license issued by the FEHD. Offenders may be prosecuted. Upon conviction, first-time offenders may be fined up to $5,000 and imprisoned for one month. Repeat offenders may be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned for six months, and the goods and equipment involved will be seized and confiscated. If unlicensed hawking activities obstruct passageways, law enforcement officers may use the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228) to charge offenders causing obstruction by placing items in public places. Upon conviction, they may be fined $25,000 or imprisoned for three months.

     The spokesman pointed out that the FEHD will take appropriate actions based on the actual situation. Generally speaking, if the unlicensed hawking activities do not involve the sale of prohibited or restricted food or cooked food, and are not carried out on main thoroughfares or in places with a constant flow of pedestrians, FEHD staff will first give a verbal warning. If the warning is unheeded, prosecution action will then be taken. For elderly or disabled hawkers, FEHD staff will deal with them in a more lenient manner under reasonable circumstances. However, if unlicensed hawking activities cause serious nuisance to the public or severely affect environmental hygiene, it is necessary for the FEHD to take decisive enforcement actions.

     If members of the public discover suspected unlicensed hawking activities, they may call the FEHD hotline 2868 0000 to report them.