63 arrested in operation targeting cross-border sex worker ring, with mastermind working in Hong Kong

A joint operation by Hong Kong, Macau and mainland Chinese law enforcement agencies has resulted in the arrest of 63 people for allegedly operating a cross-border prostitution ring, with its mastermind and core members caught in the city.

Police Chief Inspector Tang Hoi-tung from the organised crime and triad bureau said on Friday officers had arrested one man and two women, aged 24 to 63, in Hong Kong.

“The force would like to warn criminals that joining forces with syndicates from other locations to spread out criminal activity will not be able to evade police investigation,” Tang said.

The officer said the cross-border prostitution ring operated with a dedicated website advertising details of mainland prostitution groups or individual sex workers.

A source familiar with the case told the Post that the 62-year-old local man arrested was a mastermind in the syndicate, while the two women were his elder sister and niece respectively, both core members of the gang.

The man was arrested on suspicion of laundering more than HK$1.4 million (US$180,120) in alleged criminal proceeds, as well as living off the earnings of sex workers, with the latter offence also applying to the two women.

The trio were allegedly responsible for running and managing the website, including publishing advertisements for sex workers and handling customer inquiries.