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Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Courts today (May 8) fined a company $18,000 and a woman $2,000 for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The court heard that officers of the Office of Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department investigated premises at Castle Peak Road in Tsuen Wan last August. Posters of the clubhouse were found outside the premises. There were 13 rooms equipped with settings for mahjong playing and 10 customers playing mahjong.
The company was the operator of the clubhouse. The woman, who was the manager of the clubhouse, admitted that the premises was an unlicensed club.
OLA's records revealed that neither the company nor the woman possessed a valid certificate of exemption or a certificate of compliance to operate and manage the clubhouse on the investigation day. The company and the woman were subsequently charged under section 4(1) of the ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said the department would continue to take strict enforcement action against illegal clubhouse operation. He also appealed to the public to report unlicensed clubs to the OLA on 2881 7498.
Ends/Thursday, May 8, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:01
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