Hong Kong police say they have arrested 119 individuals in a two-week operation targeting triad-controlled activities, including drug, sex and gambling enterprises, as well as fraud schemes.
The operation, conducted between 21 July and 3 August and code-named "Rousewit," focused on dismantling illegal operations on Hong Kong Island.
Among those arrested were eight individuals alleged to be members of a fraud syndicate accused of using counterfeit banknotes to swindle six residents out of HK$2m (US$256,142) worth of luxury goods between March and July.
According to Senior Inspector Thomas Anthony Lo of the Hong Kong Island regional anti-triad squad, the victims were approached while attempting to sell high-end items such as luxury watches and wine bottles through online platforms.
The suspects reportedly arranged in-person meetings with the victims, posing as buyers and appraisers to lower their defences. During these meetings, the fraudsters distracted the sellers with a bundle of cash wrapped in transparent plastic, which contained genuine notes only on the top and bottom, while the rest were counterfeit or training notes marked with "practice coupon" in Chinese characters.
Police managed to recover HK$240,000 worth of stolen goods and seized 1,550 counterfeit notes during the operation. Three men and five women were arrested in connection with the fraud, marking a significant step in addressing the syndicate's activities.
The operation also involved raids on five vice establishments and seven gambling dens, as well as action against 13 drug-related cases. In one notable instance, officers seized HK$1.9m worth of suspected cocaine from a residential flat, believed to be part of a drug production operation.
The 119 suspects arrested range in age from 20 to 88 and include 88 local residents, 19 visitors from mainland China and 12 individuals holding a recognisance form, a temporary identification document issued by Hong Kong’s Immigration Department.
In July, joint efforts between Macau and Hong Kong law enforcement agencies dismantled a loan shark syndicate that targeted gamblers, particularly from Hong Kong, in Macau. The syndicate had been extorting victims by demanding repayments double the amount borrowed.
