Hong Kong police arrest 13 people in crackdown on illegal debt collection gangs accused of splashing red paint, intimidation
- Groups operated in Wong Tai Sin and Sai Kung, allegedly splashing red paint on buildings, damaging door locks and making intimidating phone calls, police say
- Thirteen arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and intimidation, all released on bail pending further investigation
Acting Chief Inspector Ng Ping-sum of the Wong Tai Sin district crime squad said on Tuesday the 12 men and one woman detained in a series of raids between Monday and Friday last week were linked to 19 cases of debt-related criminal damage and intimidation involving HK$3.7 million (US$473,000) in loans.
He said the groups operated in Wong Tai Sin and Sai Kung, using strong-arm tactics such as splashing red paint on buildings, damaging door locks and making intimidating phone calls.
“Ten of them were owners of registered SIM cards and the remaining three were accused of being involved in the distribution of debt collection slips,” Ng said.
He said a police investigation suggested criminals paid SIM card holders between hundreds of dollars and HK$1,000 each, using the items to make the calls to debtors.
The investigation also revealed some of the suspects were linked to cases of debt-related criminal damage and intimidation that took place in other districts, Ng said.
Police launched the five-day operation, code-named “DefeatEnemy”, after noticing a 30 per cent rise in the number of debt-related criminal damage and intimidation cases in Wong Tai Sin and Sai Kung in the first two months of the year.
