Police Swoop On Part-time 'dating' Agency

Police arrested 19 people in connection with a part-time escort agency on Sunday.

They arrested six males and six females - including an Indonesian domestic helper, as well as six alleged customers.

They also detained one person described as a "middleman", who’ they said arranged the dates and posted online ads that purported to be for public relations jobs but were really recruiting prostitutes.

Those detained for acting as escorts were aged between 16 and 40 and included three male students. They are accused of taking between HK$1,000 and HK$4,000 for servicing customers.

The arrests result from an operation by undercover police.

Police said those detained were arrested for soliciting for an immoral purpose and soliciting prostitution.

They said young people getting involved in the escort business were putting themselves at risk, and could end up in the clutches of crime syndicates.