Police have identified a tour guide allegedly linked to a suspected group fare-evasion incident at Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, according to the MTR. The railway operator said the guide may have helped members of a tour group leave the station without paying the correct fare.
The incident was reported to have taken place at about 11pm on August 23. The MTR said it is working with police and the Travel Industry Authority to collect and organise evidence and information for further follow-up and possible prosecution.
The reports described the incident as involving multiple passengers, but gave conflicting accounts of the number involved. The available information does not establish whether the different figures used different counting methods or referred to different groups of people.
i-CABLE reported that an online video appeared to show a woman paying before leaving through the gates, followed by up to 14 people who had not paid. The gates were shown displaying red lights, according to the report. A separate report referred in its headline to 36 people, but that figure has not been independently confirmed in the supplied reports.
The MTR condemned fare evasion and said failing to pay the correct fare, or avoiding payment by other means, breaches its by-laws. It said it may impose a surcharge and pursue prosecution in accordance with the law.
The MTR reported the matter to police or co-operated with the police follow-up. The supplied reports do not indicate that the guide or any passengers have been arrested, charged or formally penalised. The MTR’s stated next step is to complete the collection and review of evidence with police and the Travel Industry Authority.