Hong Kong police officers from anti-triad squad arrested on suspicion of trying get information on cases they were not working on
- Sergeant and constable detained at Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station on Saturday
- Pair being held for further questioning by officers from organised crime unit
Two Hong Kong police officers have been arrested on suspicion of using false documents to obtain information on cases they were not working on, the force has confirmed.
A source said on Saturday the two officers were a station sergeant and a constable from the Yau Tsim District’s anti-triad squad, which is based at Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station.
The organised crime and triad bureau believed they used the documents to access information about the cases, the source said.
Officers from the bureau went to the police station on Saturday to examine surveillance camera footage, interviewed members of the district’s anti-triad squad, and arrested a station sergeant and a constable.
A police spokesman said the pair, aged 40 and 34, were detained for further investigation. He added that the force would investigate and conduct a disciplinary review of the case.
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Under the law, a person who uses an instrument which is false, with the intention of inducing somebody to accept it as genuine, and by reason of so accepting it causes any prejudice, commits an offence and can be jailed for up to 14 years.
The source said that while officers might share information with each other for investigation or training purposes, there were clear and strict protocols guiding intelligence sharing.
Officers could be required to make written applications, obtain approval from the management, or declare that they have legitimate grounds, before they can access certain information or databases.
Additional reporting by Danny Mok
