Hong Kong police arrest 127 people in a crackdown on a Vietnamese-led organised syndicate suspected of running loan-sharking operations, illegal gambling, and unlicensed bars. The arrests follow a six-month undercover effort focused on alleged extortion-style lending in West Kowloon, where multiple premises are raided.
Police say the syndicate charges extremely high interest rates and uses the same network to expand its activities. Reports also describe allegations that the group supports illegal immigrants by providing accommodation and helping them find work. Outlets note that raids occur around October 8 and 9, with eight premises targeted during that phase. Among those arrested are alleged “core members,” including a suspected leader.
Both sources describe the same overall operation and suspect activities, though they differ slightly in emphasis and detail, such as the precise interest-rate figure and the number of premises raided during the October actions.
