Foodpanda Delivery Interrupted: Immigration Arrests Driver
A routine food delivery in Causeway Bay took an unexpected turn when immigration officials arrived at the recipient’s door,not with a meal,but with news of an arrest. The incident,which involved a Foodpanda delivery driver suspected of illegal work,has raised questions about labor practices within the food delivery industry.
The Unexpected Delivery
The incident unfolded after a netizen, identified as @bswift_the_moment on Threads, ordered food from a Korean restaurant through the Foodpanda app. The app indicated that a delivery driver on a motorcycle picked up the order around 2 p.m. and was en route to the designated address in Causeway Bay.
Did you know? Hong Kong’s Immigration Department actively conducts operations to combat illegal labor, notably within industries like food delivery.
Immigration Intervention
Rather of the expected delivery, two Immigration Department staff members arrived at the address. They informed the customer that the delivery driver had been arrested on suspicion of working illegally. The ordered food was confiscated as evidence.
The customer was asked to assist the Immigration Department by providing information such as the order number and time to confirm that the arrested delivery driver was indeed fulfilling the order.
Customer Service Hurdles
Following the incident, the customer contacted Foodpanda to request a refund. Initially, the platform reportedly refused, citing the driver’s arrest and directing the customer to contact the restaurant directly. After multiple customer service interactions, Foodpanda eventually agreed to cancel the order and issue a full refund.
Pro Tip: When dealing with customer service issues, keep a record of all communications, including dates, times, and representative names. This can be helpful if you need to escalate the issue.
Official Responses
The Immigration Department confirmed that an operation was conducted in Causeway Bay on May 19, resulting in the arrest of suspected illegal workers. The department stated that investigations are ongoing and further arrests are possible. From January to April of this year, approximately 6,100 anti-illegal labor operations were conducted, leading to the arrest of around 420 illegal laborers.
Foodpanda acknowledged the incident and stated that they had contacted the customer to provide a full refund. The company said it was cooperating with the investigation and could not comment further. Foodpanda reiterated its commitment to preventing illegal labor and highlighted the measures it has in place to address such issues.
Foodpanda stated:
It was inconvenient to comment because the incident entered the investigation stage, but it would fully cooperate with the investigation. The platform reiterated that it will never allow illegal or illegal work and has introduced a number of measures to prevent related issues.
Foodpanda Spokesperson
netizen Reactions and industry Concerns
The incident sparked important discussion online, with many expressing sympathy for the customer’s experience. Some netizens joked about the food becoming evidence, while others raised concerns about the broader issue of illegal labor within the food delivery industry.
Reports have surfaced in recent years indicating that some individuals, particularly those from South Asia, pay approximately 3,000 yuan per month to rent accounts from others to work as food delivery drivers.
