New | Police arrest 35 in suspected cross-border prostitute syndicate

Police believe they have dealt a heavy blow to a vice racket which allegedly brought prostitutes from the mainland to Hong Kong, after arresting 35 people on Tuesday.

The arrests included a couple who used their bank accounts to launder about HK$40 million believed to have been generated from illegal businesses over the past 12 months, police said.

A Hong Kong man, 56, and his wife, 41, a mainland visitor, were believed to be the core figures of the syndicate, according to Chief Inspector Alan Chung of Kowloon West regional crime unit.

Police are still looking for the other key figures of the syndicate.

“Preliminary investigations showed that the syndicate brought mainland sex workers to Hong Kong and then arranged for them to stay in various hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui,” Chung said.

Their pictures and details together with their contact numbers were put on a sex website, WeChat or other instant messaging apps. Callers were told to go to a hotel from for sex.

“Clients were charged between HK$1,000 and HK$1,500 but the syndicate took 40 to 50 per cent of the earnings of sex workers,” police said.