Police netted 1,191 people in their month-long cross-border triad crackdown, a police spokesman said on Thursday. The youngest of those arrested was 14.

The action code-named "Thunderbolt 12" was jointly conducted between July 9 and August 8 by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao police authorities.

Officers said a number of gambling dens and vice-establishments were smashed, while police seized around HK$9 million in cash, drugs and contraband goods. The seizures included 40 kilograms of ketamine and more than 72,00 dutiable cigarettes.

"During the operation, the Guangdong police smashed 39 cross-border criminal syndicates and arrested 529 persons for cross-border crimes. In Macao, police took 1,155 persons to stations for enquiries, including 303 handed over to the public prosecution office," said Chief Superintendent Kwok Ho-fai.

Since the economy on the mainland and Macao has been buoyant in recent years, police have found triad gangs were involved in cross-border crimes. Kwok denied, however, that these were well-organized, large-scale syndicates.

Kwok said there was no sign of a growing trend in gang activity. "Actually, over the years, the crime situation and triad activities have been very stable and we don't see any new trend ... You can see the population growing but the crime rate has the same, corresponding growth."

Kwok added that Hong Kong maintains close relationships with other countries under the Interpol framework but there is no plan to carry out joint operatins with other areas, just yet.

Superintendent of crime (operations) Kowloon East, Sin Chi-sing, said crimes involving triad gangs in Kai Tak development site have been greatly reduced over the past two years. Among 21 criminal cases at the site, three included extortion by gangs, including imposing a monopoly on the supply of lunch boxes to construction workers. There have been no such cases this year, Sin added.

Superintendent of crime (operations) New Territories North, Choy Wai-fu, noted illegal gambling establishments provide the main income for the gangs, so the operation effectively curbed their sources of income.

During the operation, police destroyed 15 illegal gambling dens in northern part of the New Territories, arresting 314 people aged between 24 and 84 and seizing HK$360,000 in cash.

While boat trips are popular among youngsters in summer, police discovered that some took the opportunity to abuse drugs. Marine police arrested 59 people in three operations, and one of which involved a young man who drowned in April. Police found small traces of drugs in his body.

Officers said they saw no increase of drug-abusing on boats but would enhance patrols.

"They got to know each other through friends and organized boat trips in which they abused drugs. But from the case numbers, we don't see a growing trend," said Superintendent of Crime Marine Ho Wai-hong.

The police also launched an operation to strike triad-related activities in places frequented by youth. The aim is to prevent gangs from recruiting new members. Officers from the Crime Prevention Bureau issued leaflets to warn young people the consequences of committing crimes and abusing drugs. The operation will continue till the end of the summer holidays.

mingyeung@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 08/17/2012 page1)