S'porean held for wearing belt with buckle that HK police say is a weapon
>TO him, it was a belt with a unique design. To the Hong Kong police, it was an illegal weapon.
And wearing it was all it took to land him in jail for several hours.
It was the last thing Mr Yen Wong, 27, expected from his latest fashion accessory.
The Singaporean marketing executive, who's based in Hong Kong, had bought the Martin Margiela belt for about HK$1,000 ($190) at an upscale boutique in Hong Kong's Central district on 14 Dec.
Mr Wong, who started working in Hong Kong about eight months ago, said: "I had seen the belt in several magazines and really liked the design. Then I saw it on sale at 30 per cent off, so I decided to buy it."
The buckle on the brown leather belt was designed to resemble a knuckle-duster - a weapon worn around the knuckles to inflict greater pain when the wearer punches somebody.
On 21 Dec, Mr Wong wore the belt to the Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong. He had booked a 9pm flight back to Singapore for the festive season.
He went through security screening around 8pm, and was stopped by police when the metal detector went off.
Mr Wong recalled: "I didn't think much of it, because it wasn't the first time I had set off the detector."
He had never worn the Margiela belt out of Hong Kong before, but had worn other belts with metal buckles.
He was ordered by the airport police to remove his belt.
He said: "They then began measuring the belt and put it in a plastic bag. It all seemed very over-the-top and unnecessary."
As the police scrutinised his belt, a group of about 10 other police officers surrounded him at the waiting area.
One officer then told Mr Wong he would have to go back with them to the police station for questioning.
He said: "At the time, I just wanted to board my flight to go home. I told the police that they could confiscate the belt if they wanted - I just wanted to board the plane."
But he was told he would have to go to the station.
"The police said they were just going through standard procedure," he said.
Accompanied by four police officers, MrWong was then taken to a nearby police station in a mini-van with his luggage.
He said: "We arrived at the station at 9.30pm - and that was when I was locked up."
He was put into a cell "about the size of two toilet cubicles", which was bare except for a small wooden bench.
After waiting there for about 30 minutes, the police took his statement.
"They asked me why I had bought the belt, where I had bought it, and if I knew it was a weapon," he said.
Mr Wong said he knew what knuckle-dusters looked like, but felt his belt buckle was merely a "non-functional" replica of a knuckle-buster.
He said: "You can't even put your fingers through it. Some of my friends who saw it didn't even know what it was - some even thought it was a mushroom or smiley face."
He was then ordered to return to the cell for another hour or so, before having his mugshot and fingerprints taken.
He recalled a police officer also handed him a lunch box and a packet drink, but he had no appetite.
"I didn't even bother looking at what was inside the box," he said.
He remained in the cell for the next two hours or so.
By the time the paperwork was done, it was past midnight. Mr Wong then called a friend to bail him out.
His friend, a former schoolmate, posted bail of HK$5,000 for his release. The first thing MrWong did was to return to the airport to get a one-way ticket for Singapore. He paid about $900 for it..
After 2 Jan, Mr Wong will return to HongKong for work.
He said: "I have to go back to the police station on 12 Jan, where they'll tell me whether I will get fined.
"The police also said they are considering whether or not to return the belt to me."
Mr Wong said he plans to write a letter of complaint to the boutique where he had bought the belt.
He hopes to get reimbursed for his air ticket, but he is not optimistic.
He said: "It just seems quite puzzling that they would sell an item that is supposed to be prohibited.
"I bought it from a legal establishment which is owned by a well-established company.
"If the belt is an illegal item, it shouldn't even be allowed to be sold in shops in Hong Kong."
BAD LUCK
However, a Hong Kong police spokesman told The New Paper: "Sale and legality are two different issues. Some unscrupulous merchants might sell prohibited items for their own benefit.
"Mr Wong was arrested for possession of a prohibited weapon, namely a knuckle-duster in the form of belt buckle.
"The types of weapons that are illegal to possess are governed by Hong Kong law."
The spokesman said about eight people are arrested every month for the possession of illegal or prohibited weapons at the Hong Kong airport.
Mr Wong is determined not to let the incident affect him too much.
He said: "I didn't think it was worth it to get angry over this incident. I was very irritated, but I'll just consider it bad luck."
