Hairy Grab

I'm re-reading The Dragon Syndicates, a great book on the triads and how they came to be.

Triad thinking is of particular interest each time local thugs are busted while running one of their scams.

This time six men alleged to be with the 14K were arrested for shaking down mainland Chinese fishermen over the delivery of hairy crabs, a seasonal delicacy. The going rate for permission to offload a catch at the Lau Fau Shan wholesale fish market was HK$15 per basket. Anyone not willing to pay would be assaulted or have their goods damaged, a classic triad ploy.

But these days folks aren't willing to kowtow; someone complained to the police. The next day undercover officers were on the scene and within 24 hours the market was raided.

As organised criminals go, these fellows weren't too bright. They lost their extorted cash and account books, and three others are on the run.

The difference between local triads and those abroad is that in other countries, extortion and other rackets aren't as easy to shut down. Victims seldom complain, and the insular nature of many Chinese communities allows overseas triads a much greater degree of control.

That's not to say the 14K is out of the picture; with the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner, one can be certain it has other schemes waiting in the wings to be run.

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