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Explainer | Spotlight back on Hong Kong triads after dramatic shooting: where are they now, how has Covid-19 changed operations?
- Recent cases include suspected faction leader shot in chest at close range and driving himself to hospital
- Source says ban on businesses amid pandemic has put a damper on some triad-controlled activities, but gangs have turned to other avenues to exploit
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A suspected triad faction leader in Hong Kong was shot in the chest at close range in a movie-style gangland hit in the early hours of Tuesday. The 45-year-old man was attacked by a motorcycle hitman while he was driving his Mercedes-Benz outside Victoria Mall in the city’s busy shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui.
According to police sources, the man, who survived the gunshot after driving himself to hospital, is thought to be a high-ranking member of the Wo Shing Wo triad. The gunman is still at large.
The dramatic incident has cast the spotlight back on triads, a staple in gangster and police flicks during the golden age of Hong Kong cinema.
The Post takes a peek into the city’s notorious underworld:
1) What triggered the gangland hit?
A money dispute between two factions of the same triad society is believed to have sparked the attempted murder, according to police sources. Officers are investigating if the dispute was linked to illegal activities, such as cross-border smuggling, in which the victim was allegedly involved.
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