Hong Kong police arrest 5 suspected triad members in crackdown on gang allegedly using youngsters for illegal debt collection
- Inspector Ng Man-fong says suspected triad-controlled gang advertised ‘easy money opportunities’ on social media to lure youngsters
- Four men and one woman arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, with shops and flats allegedly splashed with red paint as part of efforts to collect debt
Inspector Ng Man-fong of the Eastern district anti-triad squad said on Friday the group placed advertisements promising “easy-money opportunities” on social media platforms to recruit young or unemployed residents to splash red paint on debtors’ flats.
Ng said a shop in North Point was daubed with red paint four times in connection with disputes over money in six months, with multiple flats in various districts also targeted between January 26 and February 8.
She said the investigation suggested the triad-controlled gang was linked to the cases.
Officers from the anti-triad squad arrested four men and one woman in raids on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ng said the arrested had links to at least 14 criminal damage cases involving HK$2 million in debt collection.
A police source said all the suspects, aged between 20 and 48, had triad backgrounds.