A massive law enforcement crackdown in Hong Kong has resulted in the arrest of 65 individuals linked to a criminal syndicate accused of operating unlicensed nightclubs and illegal gambling dens. Local media reports indicate the illicit establishments were used to distribute narcotics and hire undocumented women to work as hostesses.
According to superintendent Billy Ching Chi-yan of the West Kowloon regional crime headquarters, the operation targeted a criminal network that ran underground clubs inside industrial buildings in the Hung Hom district, alongside gambling dens scattered across West Kowloon.
“The West Kowloon regional crime headquarters launched a large-scale operation, codenamed ‘Thunder’ and ‘Tiger Roar,’ to disrupt the income sources of this criminal organization,” Ching stated, as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The coordinated weekend raid mobilized more than 170 police officers who struck 10 different locations across the special administrative region between Friday and Saturday.
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The sweep swept up 40 men and 25 women ranging in age from 25 to 63. The suspects face a laundry list of criminal charges, including drug trafficking, operating illegal gambling establishments, money laundering, and immigration violations regarding stay conditions in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong maintains incredibly strict statutory penalties to deter underground nightlife and unlicensed betting operations.
Selling alcohol without a valid commercial license carries a maximum penalty of a 1 million Hong Kong dollar fine ($112,000 EUR) and up to two years in prison. Patrons caught consuming alcohol within an unlicensed venue also face criminal charges and fines reaching up to 2,000 Hong Kong dollars ($223 EUR).
The legal penalties for illicit gaming are even more severe. Operating an illegal gambling establishment carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison alongside a 5 million Hong Kong dollar fine ($559,000 EUR). Customers caught gambling inside these venues face up to nine months behind bars and a fine of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars ($559 EUR).
