SHANGHAI: The Shanghai municipal government confirmed Monday that local transport supervisors entrapped a van driver while investigating illegal cab operations.

The case involved a 19-year-old driver named Sun Zhongjie, who was seized allegedly conducting "illegal cab operation" by the urban management authorities in Pudong on Oct. 14, after he picked up a pedestrian who asked for a lift.

Sun said he was ensnared by the urban management staff who were in charge of investigating unlicensed cabs, or "black cab".

Sun cut off a piece of the little finger of his left hand to prove his innocence.