Police Arrest 147 in West Kowloon Crime Bust
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police said an operation on August 7 and 8 dismantled a triad-linked criminal syndicate active in West Kowloon. Officers searched 14 illegal premises, including a money-laundering centre in Tsuen Wan, a hub for coordinating mule bank accounts in Wong Tai Sin, four drug dens and eight illegal gambling venues. Police arrested 147 people and seized about HK$3.65 million in cash, along with luxury watches, gold jewellery, vehicles and a large number of bank cards. Investigators said the group had laundered more than HK$600 million in criminal proceeds since January last year through local mule accounts and layered transactions.
Key Points
- The two-day operation targeted a syndicate police said was active in West Kowloon and involved drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, drug dens and illegal gambling operations.
- Raids covered 14 premises: a money-laundering centre in Tsuen Wan, a mule-account coordination centre in Wong Tai Sin, four drug dens and eight illegal gambling dens.
- Police arrested 147 people, including 93 men and 54 women aged 19 to 72, among them the alleged ringleader and core members.
- Officers seized about HK$3.65 million in cash, plus luxury watches, gold jewellery, vehicles and a large quantity of bank cards during the operation.
- Eleven suspects have been charged with operating a gambling establishment and operating a drug den, while two others will be provisionally charged with manufacturing dangerous drugs.
Why It Matters
The case shows how street-level crimes such as drug dealing and illegal gambling can be tied to a larger financial network using mule accounts and repeated transfers to hide money flows. Police said the operation cut off the group’s main illegal income sources and dismantled its laundering network, an outcome with direct relevance for crime prevention in Hong Kong.