29 in Illegal Vendors Syndicate Arrested

Anti-corruption officials in Hong Kong said they have arrested 29 people in a syndicate that allegedly rented out people to serve as defendants in criminal trials against illegal street vendors. The vendors, known as hawkers, and corrupt officials allegedly arranged for licensed hawkers to stand trial in place of unlicensed vendors, authorities said. The officials received bribes, and the unlicensed hawkers were likely to end up paying smaller fines--with no risk of having their goods confiscated--if a licensed hawker stood in to be charged in their place.