A joint raid conducted yesterday by the Hong Kong police and Hong Kong's Office of the Telecommunications Authority was aimed at curtailing the sale of illegal mobile phone jammers.

The raid was aimed at the Shamshuipo area against radio dealers who were suspected of selling mobile phone jammers. In the operation, OFTA claims a total of 33 pieces of radio apparatus which were suspected to be mobile phone jammers were seized and six persons were taken to the police station to assist in further investigation.

"Under section 32B(a) of the Telecommunications Ordinance, a licensed radio dealer authorized to deal in radio transmitters in the course of trade or business shall sell or offer to sell or deliver a radio transmitter only to a person who is licensed or issued with a permit, or exempt from licensing to possess or use that transmitter. Since mobile phone jammer is a radio transmitter and the use of mobile phone jammer is not licensable in Hong Kong, it is an offense for licensed radio dealers to sell mobile phone jammers to any person in Hong Kong. The offender is liable on conviction to a fine of HKD50,000 and to imprisonment for two years," stated a OFTA spokesperson.

It is also reportedly an offense under section 8(1) of the Telecommunications Ordinance for any person in Hong Kong to possess or use a radio transmitter without a valid license. The offender is liable on summary conviction to a fine of HKD50,000 and to imprisonment for two years. These jammers are sold widely in electronics markets in Hong Kong and mainland China.

OFTA has not released details on what further actions it plans to take against dealers in coming months.