Thirteen Hongkongers accused of using false data in bungled attempts to open virtual bank accounts detained following citywide raids
- Police believe some of the suspects planned to sell accounts or use them to launder crime proceeds, while others wanted to get welcome gifts
- Officers are trying to find out whether they were all part of the same syndicate and say further arrests are possible
Thirteen Hongkongers accused of using bogus identification information in their bungled attempts to open virtual bank accounts in the city have been rounded up following raids over the past few days.
Senior Inspector Yip Chun-hei of the Western anti-triad squad said he believed some of the suspects prepared to sell the accounts or use them to launder crime proceeds, while others just wanted to get welcome gifts from a local virtual bank.
But he said their attempts were foiled as the bank’s computer security system flagged their applications as suspicious and reports were made to police. The bank suffered no losses in the cases.
The suspects were accused of using identity cards with altered personal particulars or doctored photos, or ones belonging to others, while attempting to open online bank accounts.
Following an investigation, officers arrested 10 men and three women during raids in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island earlier this week. The men included three Pakistanis and an Indian, but all of them were holders of Hong Kong identity cards.
Superintendent Sam Sin Kwok-ming, assistant Western district commander (crime), said police were investigating whether they were all part of the same syndicate. He said the investigation was continuing and further arrests were possible.
