Hong Kong police arrest 58 in anti-triad operation targeting youth recruitment
Hong Kong police arrested 58 people aged 14 to 73, including 10 students, in an anti-triad operation. Officers found a triad group had lured youths into crimes such as drug trafficking and assault. Authorities warned young people against false promises of quick money.
Hong Kong police have arrested 58 people aged between 14 and 73 in an anti-triad operation across multiple districts, the force announced on 31 October. Among those detained were 10 students. The arrests followed an investigation by the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau into rising youth crime.
Senior Inspector Chan Pak-kei of the bureau said officers first noticed an increase in juvenile offending early this year. Undercover officers were deployed and discovered that a triad group had been luring young people into illegal activities including criminal damage, drug trafficking and assault.
On 29 October, police raided several locations in Kowloon and the New Territories. They arrested 49 men and nine women on charges including claiming triad membership, conspiracy to wound, criminal intimidation, criminal damage, money laundering, possession of offensive weapons, false imprisonment and trafficking in dangerous drugs.
The operation successfully disrupted a triad group active in Kowloon that used young people to carry out illegal acts. Police also cut off sources of income for the syndicate.
Authorities said the operation would continue and more arrests were possible. They urged young people not to believe false promises of quick money that led them to commit crimes.