Police believe they have crippled the Sun Yee On triad group's 'recruitment agency' operating in Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O schools, following the arrest of 15 teenagers.
Those arrested in a seven-hour operation that ended at noon yesterday were aged between 13 and 19.
They included a 19-year-old who police said was suspected of being the leader. A police source said officers had received information that the Sun Yee On had been forcing students in the two districts to join the triad society and that it was planning a major recruitment drive when the new school term starts in September.
The source said officers identified 25 members of the gang during their months-long investigation.
They are still, however, searching for another 10 suspects who managed to escape yesterday's security net.
The source said the gang's recruitment drive came to light several months ago when six students in Tseung Kwan O reported they had been approached and forced to pay a fee to join the Sun Yee On and Luen Hing triad societies.