On Wednesday (3rd) morning, the police carried out an anti-smuggling operation. The New Territories South Region Anti-Triad Action Team arrested a local man (58 years old) with a background of the "14K" gang, who was the mastermind of an active smuggling syndicate in the Lantau Mountains , The police seized 5 smuggled speedboats (commonly known as "Da Fei") and 10 outboard engines in Da Ho Bay, Lantau Island, with a market value of approximately HK$4 million.
According to the police, each speedboat is equipped with two 300 or 400 horsepower outboard engines, and the modified speedboat can sail at a speed of more than 50 nautical miles per hour at sea, which is equivalent to driving over 80 kilometers per hour on land.
The Chief Inspector of the New Territories South Region Anti-Triad Action Team, Yu Bohan, said that earlier, the police New Territories South Anti-Triad Action Team received a report that criminals had concealed a number of smuggled speedboats in order to avoid law enforcement actions by the police and related departments. In relatively remote, hidden seas, and close to land.
After investigation, the police successfully locked a smuggling speedboat in a relatively concealed water area west of Hong Kong waters, near Tai Ho Bay, Lantau Island.
At about 11:45 this morning (3rd), the New Territories South Anti-Triad Action Team, together with the New Territories South Stormtrooper, Lantau Police District Uniform and Criminal Department officers, raided the berthing location of the smuggling vessel.
Five speedboats were seized on the spot. The speedboats were about 9 to 12 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width. Each speedboat was equipped with two 300 or 400 horsepower outboard engines.
The modified speedboat can sail at a speed of more than 50 nautical miles per hour at sea, which is equivalent to driving over 80 kilometers per hour on land.
After investigation by the police, the police arrested a 58-year-old local man with a triad "14K" background for "building a ship for smuggling purposes." He was the head of a smuggling syndicate active in the Lantau Mountains.
In addition, he reported that he was unemployed and was the owner of two of the speedboats. The arrested persons are now being detained by the police for investigation.
The owners of other vessels are suspected to be members of the syndicate. The police said the operation is still continuing and it is not ruled out that more people will be arrested later.
It is understood that the ship concerned has been registered for about 4 to 5 months.
The police reiterated that according to Article 14A of the Import and Export Ordinance, Chapter 60 of the Laws of Hong Kong, "building a vessel for smuggling purposes" is a serious crime. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 7 years in prison and a fine of 2 million Hong Kong dollars.
The police stated that they will continue to use inter-departmental cooperation platforms to combat smuggling activities by criminals.
The police urged that if citizens find suspected smuggling activities on land or at sea, they can immediately call the police to make a report, and through police-civilian cooperation, work together to combat smuggling and related criminal activities.
01News
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