Whyte-knuckle ride: SP David Whyte at the scene of his showdown with a speeding taxi on Brides Pool Rd

New Territories North Quick Reaction Force Superintendent David Whyte sustained bruising to his neck and shoulder when a makeshift roadblock he erected was struck by one of the taxis and hit him.

SP Whyte was jogging along Brides Pool Road about 7 am when two urban taxis stopped at a nearby dirt trail that he knew was a common pick-up point for IIs.

In his running gear, SP Whyte said he was only 25 metres away when he saw a group of people whom he suspected to be IIs, jump into the vehicles from the path. The taxis sped off and he used a stone to scratch their licence numbers onto the concrete footpath before calling the NT Regional Command and Control Centre to set up roadblocks.

"QRF NTN works extensively in that area as part of our day-to-day duties and we have covered several cases there. The IIs are dropped off on nearby beaches by speedboats and walk to the road to be picked up by taxis organised by snakeheads. I had a suspicion right away on what was happening as this was a remote part of the NT and these were Kowloon taxis who should not be in a place like that plying for trade, particularly at that time of day," SP Whyte said.

Following the taxis downhill, about 30 minutes later he saw one speeding back towards him with passengers still aboard, pursued by an Emergency Unit vehicle. Anticipating its return after reaching another roadblock, SP Whyte took a vibrant metal barrier from nearby road works and blocked the Tai Mei Tuk-bound lane. A few minutes later the vehicle headed back towards him sans passengers.

SP Whyte ordered the driver to stop and identified himself as an officer. But as the police vehicle returned also, the driver sped off, mounting the footpath and striking the side of the barrier flinging it towards the officer.

"I gave him a clear 150 metres of road to stop in and he did, but he may have panicked when the Police vehicle came up behind and he took off again striking the barrier. It was quite an impact but just caused some bruising, leaving me a bit stiff and sore," he said.

Police managed to intercept the vehicle about 300 metres down the road, the driver saying he dropped the passengers off at Wu Kau Tang. A search was mounted in the area. Meanwhile, the second vehicle was intercepted at Ting Kok Road near Tung Tsz with four IIs aboard and the snakehead, an overstayer. Another woman II, suspected to be from the other vehicle, surrendered the next day.

SP Whyte said it was the third time he had come across IIs while jogging along the road.

"I go running up there every morning and it serves two purposes - exercise, and also it gives me the chance to look around for any signs of II activity overnight, such as clothes and rucksacks and other items that might be lying around," he said.

"In fact, just a few weeks ago we came across another character up there who was particularly vicious, biting me several times during his apprehension!"

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