Deep Dive delves into hot issues in Hong Kong and mainland China. Our easy-to-read articles provide context to grasp what’s happening, while our questions help you craft informed responses. Check sample answers at the end of the page.
News: Hong Kong youth lured by triads into crime
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Hong Kong triads go online to recruit youth for illegal jobs, shifting from traditional crimes to cybercrimes
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Authorities warn of covert gang recruitment via messaging apps and games
Hong Kong authorities are warning teenagers about covert triad recruitment tactics. Local gang syndicates are increasingly using messaging apps and online gaming chat rooms to promote illicit part-time jobs as easy ways to make quick cash.
Michael Leung Siu-kei is a supervisor at the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups’ youth crime prevention centre.
He said that in the past, triads would recruit youths loitering in public spaces, but that practice had faded.
Nowadays, triads are more like “employment agencies”. Syndicates using Telegram, Signal or even in-game chat rooms to lure teenagers into working for them, he said.
“When we ask some youths about their gang ties, they’ll say: ‘I’ve never even met my boss,’” he added.
“Sometimes they claim to belong to one triad faction, but after a while, we find them working on another job under a different faction.”
Superintendent Joe Au Yeung Tak of the police’s organised crime and triad bureau agreed that triads’ tactics for recruiting young people were no longer as obvious as in the past.
“The triads use a much softer entry point these days: ‘Want to make some quick cash? Come out and meet some new friends. There’s free beer,’” Au Yeung said.
Police deploy undercover officers to catch recruiters.
They also work with schools to prevent triads from infiltrating campuses and conduct cyber patrols to combat online recruitment.
Low-level triad members still rely on traditional crimes such as vice, gambling, extortion and illicit fuel.
But other businesses – for instance, selling pirated videodiscs, controlling red minibus routes and managing nightclubs – have grown obsolete.
Au Yeung said: “The violent clashes and bloody scenes are gone. Instead, there are less conspicuous crimes, involving underground banking networks, cross-border money laundering and cybercrime. They do not require a physical presence and are much more low profile.”
In the past, police relied on mass arrests to target gangs. Now, they have shifted towards targeting deception and financial investigations to cut off the triads’ sources of income.
Triads would often use cryptocurrency in money laundering, Au Yeung said.
“Our focus has shifted to tracing the illicit funds, specifically the channels they use to launder the money, and figuring out how we can freeze those assets and confiscate them,” he said.
Staff writers
Question prompts
1. Which of the statements are false, according to the news?
(1) Triads are reaching out to young people through messaging apps to tempt them into taking part in illegal activities.
(2) Usually, after teenagers agree to work for a triad boss, they maintain loyalty to that leader.
(3) Triad activities are leaning towards more low profile activities, such as cybercrimes and illegal online money transactions.
(4) Triads rely on activities like the management of underground nightclubs to keep a low profile while generating regular income.
A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (3) only
C. (2), (4) only
D. (3), (4) only
2. Which parties does the Hong Kong Police Force collaborate with to tackle triad crime?
3. Based on the news, explain how young people are lured by triads into committing illegal activities.
Chart
Question prompts
1. Note TWO observations about the trend of triad-related crimes in Hong Kong.
2. How do the trends in this chart relate to the information in the news? What are potential limits that these numbers cannot show?
Sample answers
News
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C
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The Hong Kong Police Force works with schools, other jurisdictions and organisations such as banks and telecommunications providers to combat triad crime.
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Young people are being drawn to triads through covert tactics that leverage messaging apps like Telegram and Signal, as well as chat rooms in online gaming. The triads advertise illicit part-time jobs as easy ways to earn quick cash. These advertisements often target the desire for financial gain, presenting these “jobs” as simple tasks, such as painting graffiti or distributing illegal goods. They also include social incentives, like the opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy free beer.
Chart
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The total number of triad-related crimes remained relatively stable from 2016 to 2021, but it peaked in 2022 with over 2,500 cases. By 2025, the number had decreased to under 2,000. Triad-related deception cases are shown on the chart, initially appearing in 2021, spiking in 2022, and then declining, although they do not entirely disappear.
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The trends shown in the chart indicate an increase in cases of cybercrime and deception, which aligns with news reports about the changing types of crimes that triad groups are recruiting youth for. Interestingly, there has been a decrease in triad-related deception cases, suggesting that law enforcement is effectively tackling these issues. However, this decline may also indicate that triads are successfully concealing their cybercriminal activities, preventing them from being reported.
Glossary
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syndicates: temporary associations of individuals, companies or entities formed to carry out a specific business or perform a specific duty, sharing both the risks and the resources required. In Hong Kong, it often refers to organised crime networks, specifically triad groups that operate in the city.
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money laundering: the criminal process of disguising the origin, ownership or destination of illicitly obtained funds to make them appear legitimate
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cybercrime: a criminal activity carried out using computers, digital networks or electronic devices. It encompasses offences that can only exist in a digital world, such as hacking, and cyber-enabled crime, such as fraud facilitated on digital platforms.
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deception: a type of crime that includes online shopping fraud, telephone fraud, investment fraud and romance scams. It usually involves tricking victims into losing money.
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illicit funds: money that has been generated, transferred or utilised through illegal activities, including both money derived directly from crime like fraud and legal money that is used for illegal purposes, such as bribery
Sample answers
News
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C
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The Hong Kong Police Force works with schools, other jurisdictions and organisations such as banks and telecommunications providers to combat triad crime.
-
Young people are being drawn to triads through covert tactics that leverage messaging apps like Telegram and Signal, as well as chat rooms in online gaming. The triads advertise illicit part-time jobs as easy ways to earn quick cash. These advertisements often target the desire for financial gain, presenting these “jobs” as simple tasks, such as painting graffiti or distributing illegal goods. They also include social incentives, like the opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy free beer.
Chart
-
The total number of triad-related crimes remained relatively stable from 2016 to 2021, but it peaked in 2022 with over 2,500 cases. By 2025, the number had decreased to under 2,000. Triad-related deception cases are shown on the chart, initially appearing in 2021, spiking in 2022, and then declining, although they do not entirely disappear.
-
The trends shown in the chart indicate an increase in cases of cybercrime and deception, which aligns with news reports about the changing types of crimes that triad groups are recruiting youth for. Interestingly, there has been a decrease in triad-related deception cases, suggesting that law enforcement is effectively tackling these issues. However, this decline may also indicate that triads are successfully concealing their cybercriminal activities, preventing them from being reported.
