Police are investigating a triad gang that is believed to have controlled three red minibus routes and pocketed at least HK$14 million a year as protection fees from drivers.
The investigation came as an alleged former dragonhead of Wo Shing Wo triad society, who stepped down last month, was arrested along with two others on Sunday for laundering more than HK$4 million in protection fees from about 30 minibus drivers.
Police believe the 47-year-old man, surnamed Poon, known as 'Broken Mouth Bun', was the leader of an extortion gang that controlled a red minibus route running between Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong.
Yesterday, a senior police officer said investigation showed that three other minibus routes running between Tsuen Wan and Kowloon East - Choi Hung, Tsz Wan Shan and Ngau Tau Kok - are being controlled by another Wo Shing Wo gang.
'Each route involves about 30 drivers and each driver pays at least HK$10,000 a month as a protection fee to the triad gang,' the officer said.
Despite the payment of the fee, each driver could still earn between HK$10,000 and HK$20,000 a month. 'They were guaranteed a steady income because the gang made sure no other driver could run these routes,' the officer said. 'So none of the drivers were willing to come forward and report such illegal activities.'