275 people arrested in Hong Kong over faking traffic accidents, papers to claim handouts

Hong Kong police have arrested 275 people over defrauding a government fund for traffic accident victims out of more than HK$14 million (US$1.8 million) by fabricating evidence or even orchestrating incidents.

Some of those arrested were linked to a collision between a car and a bus that was arranged by a criminal group, where at least 10 passengers were told by the gang to board the coach at different stops.

Senior Superintendent Kung Hing-fun of the force’s commercial crime bureau said on Wednesday that 182 men and 93 women, aged 18 to 64, were arrested between October 3 and November 1 on charges such as deception and conspiracy to defraud.

The offences involved allegedly forging fake medical certificates for sick leave and orchestrating traffic accidents between February 2023 and April of last year.

“In these cases, we have seen criminals neglecting their own and others’ traffic safety to conduct blatant illegal acts, which result in traffic accidents, for government subsidy,” Kung said.

“This is despicable and shameful, the force condemns this behaviour and will endeavour to address relevant criminal liabilities.”