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Underage drinking in HK - legal or not?

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  1. #21

    Speaking of HKID card, what's the law in regards to "Search and seizure" in Hong kong?

    One day, I was stopped by the police and they asked for my ID. I presented my ID and they proceed to ask me a bunch of questions such as where I lived (not closed to where I was stopped), how I got there (MTR + walking) and if I wore my flip-flops from where I live to where I was. (Just some back ground info, I look local and I was really dark at the time from my holidays and since I wore my flip-flops so they pretty much assumed I was from mainland as my local relatives explained.)

    After rounds of questions, one of the officers began to stick his hand in my pocket! Now, this is where I got annoyed because where I came from, an officer is not allow to illegally search you unless you are suspected of or have been witnessed to committing a crime. I mean they can easily stuck a packet of drugs in my pocket and accuse me of dealing. I started yelling at the guy, and I was guessing they were trainees since there were about 6 of them together and I saw all of them walking in a group with a cop of higher ranked with them. I kept yelling at the cop and the higher ranked officer and they let me go eventually. But anyone have any ideas as to the laws on illegal search and seizure in HK? My legal understandings are mostly from 8th grade studies of the US constitution and many episodes of Law and Order. I have spoken to two friends who are local cops here and they said it is very standard procedures (to the point which one thought I was insane in thinking that the cop was wrong). Any ideas? Thanks and sorry for switching topics here.


  2. #22

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    You're not in the US! So what you see on tv isn't real obviously.

    They're entitled to stop and search and yes it's usually if you look like a mainlander who might of overstayed on their visa.


  3. #23

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    deepfried... I'm not sure yelling at the policeman was necessarily the best idea!


  4. #24

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    They do have powers of stop and search, but sounds to me like they were abusing them. See CLIC - Police and Crime: Police powers - Under what circumstances can the police stop and search me in a public area?

    Under section 54(2) of the Police Force Ordinance (Cap. 232), police officers may also stop a person whom they reasonably suspect of having committed, or being about to commit, or intending to commit, an offence. The police officers may require that person show his ID card or passport and may detain that person on the spot for such time as is reasonable to make inquiries. The police officers can also search that person for anything likely to be of value to the investigation of the suspected offence. The suspicion on the part of the police officers in these circumstances must be “reasonable”, which is to be judged on an objective basis with valid reasons. For example, the actions of a person who is carrying a knife and waiting nervously outside a jewellery shop may give rise to a reasonable suspicion.
    Last edited by drumbrake; 08-08-2011 at 06:57 PM.

  5. #25

    Out of interest deep fried, did you communicate with the officers in English ?


  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by justjoe86:
    deepfried... I'm not sure yelling at the policeman was necessarily the best idea!
    But nor are police above the law.

  7. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by drumbrake:
    But nor are police above the law.
    Agreed. But i definitely wouldn't have yelled.

    If what they're doing IS illegal - shouting at them is a bad idea... it could always lead them to assert their 'authority' more, since they're clearly not concerned with doing the right or moral thing.

    If what they're doing is LEGAL, shouting at them is obviously a bad idea.

    So, either way, i don't think shouting was wise!
    drumbrake likes this.

  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by SiuMaiTaiTai:
    ...maybe I've aged considerably in the last few years
    Age is not the only thing SMMT has gained over the years....


  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by PDLM:
    Where are these bars, and how can I meet these girls?

    And what is their immigration status?
    Tsk tsk, PDLM, one question at a time...

  10. #30

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    I started drinking in pubs in the UK at 14. Hardly a HK only issue.

    drumbrake likes this.