China News Service, May 23. According to Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po, a gang illegal collection (debt collection) group recruited "quick money (find fast money)" teenagers to act as "bad leaders" in debt collection, and recently destroyed many virtual currencies chain branch.
Hong Kong police launched Operation "Chuangding" and arrested 15 people.
They were lured and recruited by debt collectors, acting as thugs to attack debtors and drenched them with oil.
The criminal group collected 19 million yuan (HK$, the same below) in debt, involving at least 6 criminal damage and wounding cases.
Hong Kong police have arrested a man involved in illegal debt collectors in an ambush in Causeway Bay.
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There are 13 men and 2 women (14 to 68 years old) in the debt collection group arrested this time, and they are controlled by different triad organizations.
They are recruited to act as debt collectors "forwards", including ambushing debtors and going to their homes to wreak havoc.
During the operation, police seized evidence such as hammers, glue sticks, oil cans, debt collection notes, mobile phones and clothing worn during the crime.
All were detained on suspicion of "criminal destruction", "injury" and "criminal intimidation".
The debt collection group involved the destruction of a virtual currency trading chain store, including spraying oil, smashing glass doors and pasting debt collection notes to four branches in Kwun Tong, Mong Kok, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay earlier.
After arresting 3 men, the police tracked down the debt collection group behind them, and targeted several members. From the 17th to the 20th of this month, a total of 15 people were arrested in Hong Kong. It is believed to be related to 6 illegal collection cases in recent months, mainly involving debts. It is loan and personal finance, the total amount is 19 million yuan, and the maximum amount is 11 million yuan.
The group mainly solicits teens to collect debts, including ambushing debtors, splashing paint on debtors’ homes or companies, posting large-character posters on debt collections, and sending phone threats or text messages to debtors.
From the beginning of this year to yesterday, the police have cracked at least 6 cases of illegal debt collection in various districts in Hong Kong, and arrested 43 people, of which 25 were under the age of 18 and 23 were students.
The police are highly concerned about the use of social platforms by criminal groups to lure young people to illegally collect debts, claiming that minors will only be warned by police superintendents after they are arrested.
The police stressed that debt collection-related crimes are felony, with the maximum penalty for "criminal damage" being 10 years in prison, while the maximum penalty for "wounding" and "criminal intimidation" is three years in prison.
The Hong Kong police remind young people not to try the law because of "quick money (find quick money)", and parents should also pay more attention to whether their children have a similar mentality or income from unknown sources recently, so as not to lead them astray.