Six in court over triad activities

Six men, arrested after a two-year operation by undercover police, pleaded not guilty yesterday to 16 triad-related charges.

The District Court heard the six included two alleged senior managers of the Wo Shing Wo triad.

Senior government counsel Isaac Tam Sze-lok told Deputy Judge Garry Tallentire the six were arrested in June last year after two agents had infiltrated the society and gathered evidence for about two years.

The defendants are property agent Chan Yuk-on, 42, financial company director Leung Wing-lok, 52, ballroom manager Chan Chi-lam, 34, fish hawker Ho Ying-kit, 25, construction worker Yeung Tak-sing, 24, and Lau Tsz-cheong, 26, who is unemployed.

Mr Tam said evidence showed Chan Yuk-on and Leung Wing-lok were the chairman and treasurer, respectively, of the triad.

The charges include claiming to be a member of a triad, managing a triad, trafficking in dangerous drugs and possession of notes containing suspected triad writings.