Police Arrest 56 in Sheung Shui Gambling Crackdown
Bastillepost · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Tai Po District police said a two-day anti-triad operation codenamed “Ling Shuang” dismantled an illegal gambling syndicate active in Sheung Shui, including an arcade allegedly run by triad members that converted game points into cash and four suspected gambling dens hidden in tenement flats. A total of 56 people were arrested, and police said five had been charged and were to appear at Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on September 30.
Key Points
- Chief Inspector Cheng Sin-man (鄭善文) of the Tai Po District anti-triad squad said police intelligence indicated members of the Wo Shing Wo triad were controlling the Sheung Shui arcade operation.
- Police said the group profited by selling 100 points for HK$70, then helping gamblers cash out winning points for money, turning the arcade into an illegal betting venue.
- Undercover officers gathered evidence before raiding the arcade on September 29, arresting two men and two women aged between 30 and 76, including one alleged triad core member.
- Follow-up raids on multiple Sheung Shui tenement units uncovered four suspected gambling dens, including venues for fishing machines, baccarat and mahjong, which police said had operated for about six weeks.
- Officers seized 11 fishing machines, two mahjong tables, one baccarat table, gambling paraphernalia and about HK$24,000 in cash, while 52 more people aged 26 to 80 were arrested in the flat raids.
Why It Matters
The case shows how ordinary-looking entertainment premises and residential units can allegedly be used to generate income for triad-linked gambling operations in North District. Police also used the case to warn that operating a gambling establishment carries a maximum penalty of a HK$5 million fine and seven years’ imprisonment, while gambling in such a venue carries up to a HK$30,000 fine and nine months in jail under the Gambling Ordinance.