Residents and visitors are reminded to beware of illegal touts and to use public transport following the arrests of 19 people suspected to be connected to an illegal touting syndicate on Hong Kong Island.

Police received complaints about people selling bargain packages, including admission tickets to Ocean Park and free transport from Admiralty to the park by private car or coach.

Officers arrested 16 men and three women aged 26 to 70 near the Admiralty Station MTR exit and around Ocean Park yesterday morning, for carrying on business as a travel agent without a licence, carrying passengers for hire or reward when a hire-car permit was not in force and soliciting any person for hire or reward to travel in any vehicle without a hire-car permit. They were released on bail.

Police also seized cash of about $126,000, RMB20,000 and foreign currencies worth about $1,400, plus a receipt book and some name cards under the name of a travel agent.