Five men who ran one of Hong Kong's largest vice syndicates were yesterday ordered to hand over about $14.4 million in personal assets. Mr Justice Michael Lunn, in the Court of First Instance, granted the confiscation order and warned that failure to pay would result in more jail time. The application to seize the assets was made by the government under the organised and serious crimes ordinance. The court previously heard that when police broke the syndicate after several undercover officers infiltrated the gang, they seized accounts that revealed the brothels had a turnover of more than $165 million between 1998 and 2002. More than 200 people were arrested in the operation, codenamed Fire Lily, on May 7, 2002. The syndicate mostly employed illegal mainland immigrants and two-way permit holders to work as prostitutes. Advertisements were placed in newspapers, magazines and on the internet. Customers were charged $420, with one-third of the proceeds going to the boss of the brothel. Yesterday, six defendants, who have already been convicted and jailed, again appeared before Mr Justice Lunn. Mastermind Cheng Wai-keung, 41, jailed for six years for conspiracy to keep vice establishments and conspiracy to deal with proceeds of an indictable offence, was ordered to hand over $5.09 million or face an extra 31/2 years in jail. Choi Kong, 45, jailed for five years for conspiracy to keep brothels and one of money laundering, was ordered to pay $5.3 million or face a further 31/2 years. Chung Wing-hei, 51, jailed for 31/2 years for conspiracy to keep brothels and money laundering, must pay $228,591 or face an additional year in jail. Yau Kim-fei, jailed for five years for conspiracy to keep brothels and money laundering, has to pay $1.04 million or spend an extra two years in jail. Hau Yuen-fai, 35, jailed for two years for two charges of conspiracy to keep brothels, must pay $2.3 million or face 21/2 years. Leong Lo-kuong, 31, jailed for 20 months for two charges of conspiracy to keep two brothels, must pay $337,529 or spend 15 more months in jail.
