Hong Kong police make 185 arrests in a citywide three-day crackdown, surveillance cameras along the way

HONG KONG, Sept 30 — Hong Kong police have arrested 185 people in a three-day citywide crackdown on Triad-related activities and violent crimes, authorities said Monday.

The operation, dubbed ‘Flowingshade’, was coordinated by the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau and began last Thursday targeting Triad gangs and disrupting their revenue streams, according to a report published in the South China morning mail Today.

Agents raided entertainment venues such as mahjong parlors, nightclubs and illegal gambling dens.

Those arrested included 11 visitors from mainland China, 51 non-Chinese residents and eight people who entered the city unlawfully.

“The police will continue to improve intelligence gathering and take timely targeted law enforcement actions to address violent crimes, triad-related activities and their sources of income,” a police spokesperson said.

The operation comes amid a rise in violent and triad-related crimes, with authorities intensifying efforts to curb criminal activity across the city.

The number of violent crimes in the city increased by 8.3 percent in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period last year.

6,078 violent crimes were reported this year, compared to 5,610 in 2023.

Additionally, the number of triad-related crimes increased 9.2 percent this year to 1,149 cases, compared to 1,052 cases last year.

To address these concerns and improve public safety, authorities plan to install more than 600 police surveillance cameras in the city this year.

This is part of a larger plan to install approximately 2,000 cameras annually.

The Mong Kok entertainment and shopping area was selected in March as a pilot location for the surveillance camera project.

Fifteen sets of cameras were installed there to test the effectiveness of the system.