Customs arrests two in HK$35 million laundering probe
RTHK · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it arrested two 33-year-old local men on Wednesday in a suspected money-laundering case involving about HK$35 million, after a follow-up financial investigation stemming from a drug case uncovered last August. The case is being pursued under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, and investigators said further arrests have not been ruled out.
Key Points
- Customs said the investigation followed a drug case detected in August last year involving about HK$8.3 million, after which officers launched a wealth investigation and fund-flow analysis.
- Investigators found suspicious transactions in the two men's personal bank accounts between January 2024 and August 2025, with total suspected criminal proceeds of about HK$35 million.
- One arrested man, a telecommunications maintenance worker, allegedly sold his personal bank account through an instant messaging app for payment, and more than HK$1.7 million flowed in within one month.
- Customs said those incoming funds came from numerous third-party accounts, stayed in the account for at most two days, and were then transferred out quickly.
- The second man, a logistics assistant, allegedly handled HK$33.5 million through 5,800 transactions involving more than 1,000 counterparties, with funds later consolidated and moved to many local third-party accounts.
Why It Matters
The case shows how investigators are using financial tracing after predicate offences to pursue suspected laundering networks, rather than stopping at the original drug arrest.
For Hong Kong readers, the allegations also underline the legal risk of selling or lending personal bank accounts, which authorities say can turn ordinary accounts into tools for handling criminal proceeds.