The Triad Blogger

If you're a criminal, announcing your illegal acts on the Internet is tantamount to robbing a bank and leaving your driver's license with the teller.

A 14-year-old boy has learned this lesson the hard way after being arrested for claiming to be a triad member on his blog. In Hong Kong, being a member of a triad gang or even stating such is worth a HK$100,000 fine and three years in the can, if it's a first offence. Afterward the fine increases to HK$250,000 and the jail term extends to seven years.

But this is the first time an arrest has been made from claims posted on the web. The boy had not only identified himself as a triad, he'd recounted stories of his triad-related activities, including a prior arrest for unlawful assembly, as well as his participation in a fight with another triad. The trick now is to prove in court that the boy's claims are real and not just fictions or wishful thinking.

Regardless of the outcome or whether he is in fact a triad member, one thing is certain: you won't see other triads setting up blogs in the foreseeable future.

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