Last October, a criminal gang from Hong Kong was arrested after it was discovered that it had collected HK$40 million ($510,000) using an illegal gambling platform run by the members of the organization.
Now, further proving its ongoing efforts to crack down on the triads that are usually connected to illegal gambling, sex and drug trafficking, the authorities in the special administrative region have announced the results of another impressive operation with code name Levington.
Hong Kong Police Sparing No Effort to Block Triads’ Income Sources
The police forces’ investigation around the city was intended to disrupt the sale of drugs, as well as brothel and gambling activities controlled by gangs and triads. The authorities’ efforts were also aimed at stopping illegal debt collection along with illegal money lending. The operation, which was led by the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau, resulted in the successful confiscation of illegal cigarettes and drugs along with weapons, cards, and gambling chips.
This was possible after police forces forcefully shut down 15 different gambling dens and two brothels and busted a storage center in Tin Shui Wai that was hiding contraband cigarettes.
The same authorities that announced they would adopt a zero-tolerance policy for the illegal activities of triads arrested a total of 234 suspects.
The bust covered dozens of suspected members belonging to a number of triad factions such as Sun Yee On and 14K triads. The list included 206 Hong Kong residents and 12 people with origins in mainland China. The other 16 individuals who were busted used temporary identification documents which allowed them to stay in Hong Kong without having a job there.
The 137 men and 97 women were busted on suspicion of wounding, money laundering, criminal intimidation and damage, possession of offensive weapons, drug trafficking, processing illegal cigarettes, illegal gambling activities, and operating vice or gambling venues.
The Police Confiscated HK$2M in Gambling Chips
Besides the HK$220,000 (US$28,039) worth of illegal narcotics that were confiscated as a result of the special operation, the authorities also got their hands on HK$5.9 million ($752,000) from illicit cigarettes and HK$2 million ($255,000) from confiscated gambling chips. The Hong Kong Police Force also managed to successfully seize HK$1.93 million ($246,000) worth of cash, two vehicles, and illegal weapons.
In 2022, the police authorities were handed 2,554 reports regarding crimes related to triads in Hong Kong, a number that was 35.3% higher compared to the previous year’s figure. In September 2022, three police officers in Hong Kong faked a raid in order to protect an unlicensed casino. After their actions were discovered and reported to the police by an undercover officer, the trio was arrested and sentenced to a few months in prison.