A SENIOR judiciary official is under investigation by Hong Kong authorities for his links to a global money-laundering racket involving billions of dollars of Colombian cocaine proceeds.
According to a British detective working on a related case, the official has been the focus of an 11-month investigation into his activities and possible underworld connections.
'They are looking at a person in the judiciary,' a British Metropolitan Police officer said of the probe, which is also examining a shelf company set up by the official.
The case is being treated as highly sensitive, with only a select group of Hong Kong investigators aware of its existence.
Police and Independent Commission Against Corruption sources in the territory said they were unaware of the investigations.
Even the Chief Justice, Sir Ti Liang Yang, knew nothing of the investigation.