Triad Talk

According to the police, triads are no longer arrested for merely claiming to being a member of any particular society.

The law against being a triad or even impersonating one has been in the books since 1845, when it was first passed.

These days, being slapped with that offence is an add-on to other criminal charges, as the court requires more evidence than just one's say-so. The penalty for triad membership or just claiming to be a member is a fine of HK$100,000 and three years in the pokey for the first offence. Subsequent convictions draw a fine of HK$250,000 and seven years in prison.

As one district commander said:

It is very rare to actually charge someone with just being a member of a triad society because individuals know that it is not to their advantage to declare their membership.

Ain't that the truth; the last time a thug insulted a cop, societies across the territory found themselves on the receiving end of an ass-kicking.

The Organised Crime and Triad Bureau says Hong Kong's most active groups: the 14K, Sun Yee On, Wo Shing Wo, Wo On Lok and Wo Hop To, are among the oldest and most well-established organisations, which run extortion rackets, debt collection, vice and illegal gambling.

And no matter how often the police crack down on the gangsters, sooner or later the triads build their numbers back up. It's been that way since before the inception of Hong Kong, and will be that way as long as there's money to be made.

So while the police may not arrest triads as often for opening their mouths, they'll always have another reason to slap on the cuffs.

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