Hong Kong Customs arrested a Tsim Sha Tsui pharmacy worker after a mainland visitor complained about a sale in which they paid HK$11,400 for half a batch of Chinese medicinal ingredients. The customer said the total price was revealed only after the herbs had been ground.
According to the customer’s account, relayed by a Customs inspector, the customer asked for the total before the ingredients were ground. The employee reportedly said there was no need to hurry and offered to waive the cost of medicine the customer had bought earlier. The employee then handed the herbs to another worker to be ground, although the customer had not agreed to buy them. After they were ground, the customer was told they cost about HK$20,000. The customer objected, and the employee offered half for HK$11,400; the customer said they felt compelled to pay.
Ming Pao identified the pharmacy as Yuk Healthy Medicine Limited, at 80 Nathan Road. Customs said the employee was arrested on suspicion of misleading omission under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. The case remains under investigation.