A barrister and two solicitors were arrested yesterday by the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau in connection with a $600 million money-laundering probe. Officers from the bureau's financial investigation division also seized a large quantity of documents. The suspects, two aged 37 and one aged 44, were each released on $5,000 bail and ordered to report to officers on May 21. A police spokesman said the arrests were in connection with a $600 million money-laundering case in which four people were awaiting trial. But a police source said the three legal professionals allegedly helped launder about $9 million in the case. The four awaiting trial include a trading company owner, his wife, a sister of a former Bank of China branch chairman and another woman. They were arrested by officers last October. They appeared in Eastern Court in November on a charge of dealing with proceeds of an indictable offence involving $600 million between March 1998 and October 2001. The case was adjourned until May 9. The four have been released on $500,000 bail and a surety of between $500,000 and $1 million.
