So this is a weird one for me.

I’ve been an on and off mongerer for a long time, and I’ve heard of police raids and so on but this was a little out of left field. I was walking up to a regular walkup just to look around when I noticed suddenly a bunch of dudes following up behind me. I didn’t think much of it as I figured it was probably just some guys wanting to check out the scene too. The place was closed so I decided to head back down and one of the guys stopped me, whipped out his Police ID and basically everyone in the joint got carded. Got questioned, searched, then let go.

From what I know, checking out a spot isn’t necessarily illegal, even more so since the doors were closed and literally no one was there to receive customers. Still, getting carded and questioned is a little rattling. Anyone ever dealt with this kinda thing before? And if so, are there any legal ramifications for us just looking at an empty spot?

I don't know about your particular situation, but I see people at my local MTR getting checked (backpacks, IDs, etc.) getting checked 1-2 times a month. This isn't everyone getting checked, but usually 1-2 young, Chinese males. I think they gonna do whatever they wanna do.

Unless you are trespassing (which you will not have been) or soliciting in a public place (which you will not have been), what has happened is that the police were using their clear legal power to check your identity. The police in HK can check anyone’s ID documents at any time for any reason. Yes it is a bit unsettling, but relax and comply.