Hong Kong police arrest 10 for dangerous driving in first drone-assisted traffic crackdown

Hong Kong police have arrested 10 drivers for dangerous driving on the Kwun Tong Bypass, deploying drones in a traffic operation for the first time.

Hong Kong police deploy drones in an operation codenamed “Fastshield” to target dangerous driving in the Kwun Tong Bypass. Photo: Police.

Police said on Tuesday that nine men and one woman, aged 25 to 51, were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving during Operation Fastshield, which ran from August 3 to Monday.

Seven private cars and three motorcycles were also impounded at the police Kowloon Bay Vehicle Detention and Examination Centre for further investigation.

Pun Chun-ho, a senior inspector in the force’s Kowloon East traffic department, said some of the arrested drivers had driven “at extreme speeds, weaving in and out of traffic in a perilous manner.”

He said drones and “stealth cars” – unmarked police vehicles – were deployed to collect evidence and make the law enforcement operation safer.

“We leveraged the agility and wide coverage of drones to conduct high-altitude observation,” he told a press briefing in Cantonese.

Seven private cars and three motorcycles were impounded by Hong Kong police following a drones-assisted operation codenamed “Fastshield” that targets dangerous driving in the Kwun Tong Bypass. Photo: Police.

“At appropriate times and under safe conditions, stealth cars pre-deployed at strategic positions followed target vehicles, gathered evidence, and enforced the law,” he added.

Pun said footage captured by drones would strengthen police evidence-gathering capabilities, adding that the drone-assisted operation had also saved manpower.

The suspects have been granted bail pending further investigation.

Police warned that dangerous driving is a serious offence with a maximum penalty of a HK$25,000 fine and up to three years’ imprisonment. The driving licence of an offender will also be suspended for six months.

Wider crackdown

The Hong Kong police are carrying out a wider three-week enforcement operation against distracted driving and pedestrian offences amid a surge of fatal road accidents during the first half of the year.

Sixty-three people died in 59 traffic accidents during the first six months of this year – a 46.5 per cent surge in fatalities compared to the 43 deaths in 41 fatal accidents during the same period last year.

Hong Kong police officers demonstrate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to journalists on May 19, 2025, days before the launch of the drone patrol pilot scheme. Photo: Hong Kong Police Force, via Facebook.

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Police have also been rapidly expanding their use of surveillance technology and automated drones, using them to hunt down people who overstayed visas or gambled illegally.

Meanwhile, the Labour Department has said it is looking into equipping drones with facial recognition tools to better enforce a new law against smoking on construction sites.