The Hong Kong police, in collaboration with the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, launched a five-day joint law enforcement operation that successfully dismantled an organized cross-boundary fraud group specializing in the forgery and sale of fake concert tickets. The operation resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals, including key members of the group, and the seizure of a large number of tools used for producing counterfeit concert tickets. The counterfeit tickets included those for a concert by South Korean star G-Dragon and a recent Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal held at Kai Tak Sports Park.
In Hong Kong, the police arrested seven men and one woman, aged between 19 and 65, who described themselves as students, housewives, and unemployed. Among the arrested were three core members and intermediaries responsible for transporting fake tickets and recruiting subordinates; three were "runners" who delivered fake tickets to the public and demonstrated supposed ticket verification techniques. The remaining two were holders of dummy accounts, which received the fraudulent payments.
In Shenzhen, the Public Security Bureau arrested four men on charges of "forging valuable tickets," aged between 24 and 39. Three of the suspects were from Hong Kong, while one was from the mainland, and all claimed to be unemployed. Among those arrested were a Hong Kong mastermind residing in the Mainland, key members involved in purchasing raw materials and tools, and a mainland individual frequently transporting fake tickets between the two locations. The operation seized electronic equipment containing images of fake concert tickets and printing materials. The raw materials included invisible ink, utility knives, and numerous sealing bags. Additionally, 24 high-quality counterfeit concert tickets valued at nearly HK$40,000 and 412 semi-finished fake concert tickets were discovered.
The officer in charge of the operation stated that the criminal group was organized into three distinct structures with specialized roles. First, the Hong Kong mastermind residing in the Mainland was responsible for finding locations to set up factories, purchasing printing machines and raw materials, and producing highly realistic fake tickets for sale in Hong Kong. They utilized multiple social media platforms to post advertisements or messages, uploading images of tickets with average resolution and obscuring parts of the ticket front, making it difficult for the public to discern authenticity. Second, the core members and intermediaries were responsible for transporting fake tickets from the mainland to Hong Kong, as well as recruiting runners to act as subordinates and arranging for them to meet buyers for delivery. Lastly, the runners not only showcased false ticket verification techniques during the delivery process but also provided fake QR codes, screenshots of electronic orders, and counterfeit official purchase records to gain buyers' trust. The holders of dummy accounts were responsible for receiving payments, which were used for money laundering, with amounts ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions.
The officer emphasized that the counterfeit tickets seized in this case closely resembled real ones, and the public could easily fall into the "fake ticket trap" if not careful. He further pointed out that some distinguishing features of the seized tickets could help identify fakes. For instance, in the English terms on the back of the ticket, the phrase "of identity" was written together, while the spacing of commas in the Chinese terms, except for the first line, was inconsistent. He urged anyone who suspects they have been defrauded to immediately contact the East Kowloon Crime Division at 3661 0110 or 9259 2537.
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