Hong Kong police have arrested 63 people as part of a crackdown on triad-controlled businesses in the New Territories offering illegal gambling and narcotics.
The force on Friday said 51 of the suspects were rounded up when officers raided and shut down an illegal mahjong parlour on Tai Pei Square in Tsuen Wan on Thursday afternoon.
The triad-controlled gambling den was based out of a 1,500 sq ft flat fitted with soundproofing materials to reduce the risk of detection, Acting Chief Inspector Ng Tsz-ho of the New Territories South anti-triad squad said.
“Food and beverages were offered to attract customers to gamble in the premises,” he said.
‘Suspected Hong Kong triad member arrested’ over hit-and-run incident
‘Suspected Hong Kong triad member arrested’ over hit-and-run incident
An investigation suggested the gambling den had earned an estimated monthly income of about HK$70,000 over a three-month period, the force said.
The arrestees, which comprised 39 men and 12 women aged 34 to 91, from the raid included the venue’s two alleged operators, both aged 65. The suspected punters also included a woman visiting the city from mainland China.
In Hong Kong, gambling unlawfully carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a HK$50,000 fine.
Operating an illegal establishment could lead to seven years in prison and a HK$5 million fine.
![Police showcase evidence taken from a raid on an illegal mahjong parlour on Thursday afternoon. Photo: Handout](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/10/20/decc36bd-2ce9-4f57-8ca4-8cb74b670686_edd804f5.jpg)
As part of the operation, code-named “Levington”, officers from the New Territories South regional crime unit also raided a public housing estate in Kowloon Bay on Thursday evening.
Police discovered three airguns, a pepper spray and HK$80,000 worth of suspected crystal meth, along with packaging equipment, at the premises.
Officers also arrested a suspected triad member, aged 29, and his 21-year-old girlfriend during the raid.
The pair were detained on suspicion of drug trafficking, possessing firearms without a licence, and possession of instruments fit for consumption of narcotics.
The force arrested another 10 suspects as part of the operation.
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Acting Superintendent Yu Pok-hon of the New Territories South crime unit said the operation was ongoing and in response to recent violent incidents linked to triad groups.
The force was determined and capable of combating triad-related crimes and would continue to spare no effort targeting the group’s illegal activities and sources of income, he added.
Earlier in the week, police arrested an alleged leader of a Sun Yee On faction in Tsim Sha Tsui and seven other suspected group members over an attack on staff at a pharmacy in connection with a HK$70,000 protection fee.
The store employees, two men aged 34 and 36, were ambushed at 2.07am on Sunday as they left the shop on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Police said five attackers struck the victims with metal rods before fleeing in a seven-seater car driven by a sixth suspect.
Hong Kong police arrest 202 in citywide raids targeting illegal gambling
Hong Kong police arrest 202 in citywide raids targeting illegal gambling
A source familiar with the case on Friday said an investigation had suggested the incident was triggered over a dispute involving the HK$70,000 protection fee.
The triad group had allegedly demanded the business to pay the fee after the shop opened about three months ago, he said.
“The money was sent over via a middleman. But the middleman pocketed the money and disappeared,” the insider said, adding the attack was initiated after the triad gang failed to get the money.
Police arrested the eight suspected members of the Sun Yee On triad gang between Monday and Wednesday. The group included its alleged leader, known as Lok Man, who was still in police custody as of Friday.
In the first six months of this year, police handled 912 triad-related crimes, an increase of 7.2 per cent from 851 cases in the same period in 2022.