Hong Kong police bust transnational prostitution ring, arrest 16
Hong Kong police have dismantled a transnational prostitution and human trafficking syndicate, arresting 16 people and seizing about HK$18 million in cash. Twelve suspects have been charged and will appear in court on Monday.
Hong Kong police have dismantled a transnational illegal prostitution syndicate suspected of human trafficking, arresting 16 men and women. Officers seized about HK$18 million in cash and froze about HK$5 million in bank accounts believed to be criminal proceeds. Twelve of those arrested have been charged and will appear at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court on Monday. The remaining suspects are being held for questioning.
The police operation, conducted over two days from Thursday, targeted organised prostitution in the Tsim Sha Tsui and Tuen Mun districts. According to the investigation, the criminal syndicate allegedly controlled multiple foreign women brought into Hong Kong, arranging for them to engage in prostitution in hotels and taking a cut of the profits. Four bank accounts were used to handle suspected criminal proceeds. Items seized during the raids included condoms, lubricant and electronic devices believed to have been used to manage the prostitution activities.
Among those arrested are five local men and two foreign men, aged 44 to 54. They are suspected of trafficking persons into or out of Hong Kong, controlling others for prostitution, living on the earnings of others' prostitution, and money laundering. An additional nine foreign women, aged 19 to 33, were arrested on suspicion of breaching their conditions of stay.
