Hong Kong police arrest 13, including 9 students, in operation against triad recruitment drive
- Action successfully thwarts efforts to bring in new members by Sun Yee On gang, active in Aberdeen, police source says
- Victims had received WhatsApp messages from stranger claiming to be a triad member and inviting them to become his followers
Hong Kong police have arrested 13 people, including nine students, in an operation to combat a triad recruitment drive that targeted young people through instant-messaging services.
A police insider said the operation had successfully thwarted recruitment efforts by a Sun Yee On gang which was active in Aberdeen.
The 13 male suspects, aged 13 to 23, were rounded up in a series of raids across the city last week.
The source said most of them, including one of three 13-year-old boys arrested, were suspected Sun Yee On triad members.
The anti-triad squad of Western police district began investigating after youths, including two schoolboys aged 13 and 14, received WhatsApp messages from a stranger who claimed to be a Sun Yee On member and invited them to become his followers.
“The victims were then added into a chat group. In the group, some of the members claimed they were triad members,” said Inspector Ng Man-fung of Western police district.