Bullion companies raided, 84 arrested

Eighty-four employees of four Wan Chai bullion companies were arrested yesterday for allegedly cheating customers out of $20 million.

The raided companies - two in Hennessy Road, one in Lockhart Road and the other in Jaffe Road - were raided after police received 123 complaints involving more than $20 million.

The 39 men and 45 women, aged between 19 and 44, were being detained last night. Officers seized account books, documents and computer discs.

The victims told police they had been cheated in gold investments out of sums ranging from $60,000 to $1.2 million.

They said they were given cleaning and clerical jobs after answering newspaper advertisements, but they were later asked to sign contracts and lured into gold trading.