A TEAM of anti-triad detectives will fly to Cambodia this week to question two Hong Kong fugitives suspected of masterminding a massive international human smuggling racket.
Police and United States immigration agents say illegal alien smuggling operations, similar to one allegedly run by Hong Kong men Chan Hak-so and Chan Yui-chun, are now as lucrative as the international drugs trade.
The two are accused of charging US$30,000 (about HK$232,000) for passage to the West, and investigators say 'thousands' have passed through their hands in the past two years.
The US Government has voiced concern about the new Cambodian route and the involvement of Hong Kong crime figures.
Immigration officials have indicated the territory is a crucial link in the chain.
Organised Crime and Triad Bureau detectives want to quiz suspected Wo Shing Wo triad member Chan Hak-so, 44, and his alleged accomplice Chan Yui-chun, 43, about their links with Hong Kong travel companies.
They suspect firms in the territory are the main ticket suppliers for illegal immigrants journeying to the US and Central America.