Police arrested nine suspected triads yesterday for allegedly extorting money and blackmailing drivers to use a red minibus route set up by gang members between Wan Chai and Mongkok.
A police source said drivers had to pay a joining fee of about $30,000 to ply the route as well as monthly subscriptions of several thousand dollars. The fare for the route is $10.
A special fare card was issued to drivers so that triads could pick out those who had not paid the protection fee, said Superintendent Man Chi-hung from Hong Kong Island crime unit.
Drivers who did not belong to the gang were threatened to make them drive away, he said.
'If they ignore this, they might face violence and damage to their vehicles.' Mr Man, who described the protection fee as hefty, said he believed the route - which had been operating with at least 10 drivers for two to three months - was controlled by the 14K triad.
The alleged extortion was revealed after police received anonymous complaints.