8 visitors arrested in Hong Kong over illegal photo, make-up services

Hong Kong immigration authorities have arrested eight mainland Chinese visitors for allegedly providing illegal make-up and photography services at popular tourist attractions.

The Immigration Department on Thursday said enforcement officers arrested one man and seven women, aged between 19 and 39, in the last two weeks. Four of them worked illegally as photographers and four as make-up artists.

According to Deputy Commander Chun Yuk-tung, another two local women, aged 20 and 27, who partnered with these illegal workers, were also arrested on suspicion of helping the visitors breach their conditions of stay.

Seven of the illegal workers were charged with breaching their conditions of stay and five were sentenced to two months in prison, he added.

The arrests, made between August 20 and Wednesday, involved officers posing as customers and reaching out to the suspects through Chinese social media.

“Mainland Chinese photographers and make-up artists used mainstream platforms to offer different types of photography and make-up services at low prices to attract Hong Kong customers,” Chun said.