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Man, 30, held over hacking attacks on two Hong Kong travel agencies

Officers raid IT worker’s flat on Cheung Chau and also seize two desktop computers, two laptops, one tablet, three hard disks and five mobile phones

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Police take the suspect, who was arrested on Saturday, to his workplace to gather evidence. Photo: Handout

A 30-year-old Hong Kong man was arrested in connection with cyberattacks in which the computers of two travel agencies in the city were hacked and their clients’ sensitive personal information held for ransom, with payouts in bitcoin sought last week.

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The two travel agencies reported the incidents to police on January 1 and 2.

One bitcoin (HK$123,735 or US$15,819) was demanded as a ransom in each hacking case, according to police.

Officers from the force’s Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau raided a flat in the outlying island of Cheung Chau and arrested the man on Saturday.

During the operation, police seized two desktop computers, two laptops, one tablet, three hard disks and five mobile phones in the flat.

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Goldjoy Holidays revealed that unauthorised parties accessed its customer database. Photo: HANDOUT
Goldjoy Holidays revealed that unauthorised parties accessed its customer database. Photo: HANDOUT
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