2,000 arrested in crackdown on triads

Police arrested almost 2,000 people, including 74 on the wanted list, in a crackdown against triads and organised crime over the past few months ahead of the East Asian Games.

The arrests came in a joint operation by Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong police that ended on Monday, with more than 7,000 raids in the city co-ordinated by the organised crime and triad bureau. Police said 30 illegal gambling dens and 80 vice establishments were broken up.

Officers seized HK$42.5 million worth of drugs, soccer and horse racing betting records and other illicit goods, such as pirated and pornographic compact discs.

Acting Chief Superintendent Ma Wang-chow, of the bureau, described the operation yesterday as successful and said it had prevented triad and violent crimes. It was also designed to raise public awareness about crime prevention before the East Asian Games.

'The revenue streams of triad societies were stopped and a number of their key and active members were arrested,' he said. 'We will continue our co-operation with mainland and Macau police.'

At least four office bearers from various triad factions were arrested in the second phase of the operation last month, which police said dealt a heavy blow against the triads.