Hong Kong fortune-teller arrested over ritual sacrifice of rabbit, frogs and mice after Instagram posts prompt businessman to act
- One police source says 19-year-old suspect professed to have learned about rituals online
- His arrest came after a local businessman saw services advertised on Instagram and contacted police
Officers arrested the 19-year-old man in a sting operation at Tsuen Wan West MTR station on Wednesday afternoon as he was meeting a 47-year-old businessman, who had seen the ritual services online, posed as a client to set up the appointment, and called police.
At the time of his arrest, the suspect was allegedly carrying two plastic boxes holding a rabbit and five white mice. Police also confiscated a dagger, some amulets, four candles and two packs of joss sticks found in his backpack, along with separate bottles of rum, sesame oil and almond oil.
Force insiders said the rabbit and mice were to be used as sacrifices in the ritual.
No superficial injuries were found on the rabbit and mice, which were handed over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for further examination.
Inspector Chen Wenjing of the Sham Shui Po district crime squad said on Thursday that the rum, sesame oil and almond oil were poured on amulets during rituals.
Police arrested the man on suspicion of cruelty to an animal, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and a fine of up to HK$200,000.
Officers from the Sham Shui Po criminal investigation unit began looking into the case after receiving a report from the businessman on Wednesday morning.