
Hong Kong's Transport Department (TD) is rolling out sweeping reforms to combat organized groups profiteering from the city's no-test driver's license system. Legislative Council members sounded alarms today after discovering professional "queue gangs" openly auctioning appointment slots near government offices and on social media, with some scalpers reportedly charging up to HK$3,000 per slot.
Transport Secretary Mable Chan unveiled a multi-pronged counterattack beginning mid-August, including a revolutionary dual-ID verification system that prints both the queue collector's and applicant's identification numbers on each ticket. The department is deploying enhanced facial recognition technology at all licensing centers to ensure ticket holders match registered applicants, with any discrepancies triggering immediate cancellation.
The crackdown comes as the popular conversion program - which allows holders of the mainland and other recognized licenses to obtain Hong Kong permits without testing - faces unprecedented demand. September will see the implementation of real-time cross-border license verification following the exposure of multiple fake mainland driving permits being used to secure appointments.
Authorities are coordinating with social media platforms to remove over 200 identified scalper accounts, while plainclothes officers will conduct undercover operations at licensing centers. "We're sending a clear message to these queue mafias - your game is over," warned Secretary Chan, noting that 37 fraudulent applications had already been voided this month. The measures aim to protect the system that processed over 18,000 license conversions last year, preserving its integrity for genuine applicants.
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