12 held in multimillion-dollar porn video crackdown
Triad-linked syndicate made more than HK$20m in past four years, police say
Police say they have wiped out a triad-linked syndicate that made more than HK$20 million from selling discs of pornographic material over a four-year period.
During a raid on the centre and two retail outlets in Tsuen Wan on Wednesday officers seized 554 CD writers, two computers and seven printers together with 9,200 discs of obscene material. Police said the haul was worth HK$500,000.
"Police have smashed the triad-linked pornographic video syndicate and suppressed the income source of the triads," a police spokesman said.
A source said the syndicate had provided a "one-stop service" that included manufacturing, packaging, delivery and retail. Mainlanders were hired to produce the discs in Kwai Chung.
"Hired delivery vans were used to deliver finished products to various retail outlets in Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, Wan Chai and Tsuen Wan," said Chief Inspector Suen Suet-ying, of the New Territories South regional crime unit.
The discs were sold for HK$30 each or HK$100 for six.
Officers arrested 12 men, aged 19 to 59, in a series of raids across the city on Wednesday night. One of the arrests was made at the Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint where one suspect was headed to Shenzhen.
A further three arrests were made at the alleged manufacturing centre in Kwai Chung. Two of those arrested were illegal immigrants from the mainland.
Last night, 12 men were being held for questioning. None had been charged.
