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A man was fined $12,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (April 18) for operating a guesthouse in Mong Kok without a certificate of exemption or a valid licence.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority(OLA), Home Affairs Department(HAD), conducted a street survey last year and identified a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Dundas Street, Mong Kok. The officers subsequently issued a warning letter to the guesthouse operator for immediate cessation of its operation.
The investigation team again inspected the guesthouse in October last year. They found that 11 guestrooms, all provided with sleeping accommodation and shower facilities, were available for rent at hourly or daily basis.
The man admitted being one of the guesthouse operators and he knew that the premises was an unlicensed guesthouse. The man was charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse and enforcement action would continue to be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers. He also appealed to people to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA on 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:15
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