A five-day police operation in Tsim Sha Tsui has led to 58 arrests, uncovering a teen-led vice ring that recruits underage girls as young as 14 through dating apps.
The investigation began after authorities discovered a criminal organization utilizing dating and messaging apps to attract clients and arrange for young girls to provide sexual services.
Chief Inspector Yim Wan-ha of Kowloon West detailed on Saturday (Oct 18) that the syndicate used dating apps like Heymandi and Telegram to recruit both clients and underage girls.
The group had a clear division of labor, with some members enticing girls at youth hangout spots with promises of quick money, while others managed online clientele for sexual transactions.
Posing as underage girls on dating apps, syndicate members posted messages on the apps to draw clients into initiating private chats and subsequently arranging sexual encounters.
Clients were instructed to book hotel rooms for these transactions, which cost between HK$3,000 and HK$10,000 per session, with the syndicate taking a 40 percent commission.
The operation has led to the arrest of 23 individuals, including the 18-year-old female mastermind and two 16-year-old accomplices, all claimed to be unemployed or students.
Additionally, four local clients were arrested for having unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage girl while two victims aged 14 and 15 were identified.
In a joint operation with immigration authorities, police discovered the syndicate was operating out of a Tsim Sha Tsui hotel.
The investigation led to the arrest of two key members who managed a nearby storage unit stocked with prostitution-related supplies like condoms, lubricants, and toiletries.
A total of 14 women from the mainland were also arrested in the hotel for living on the earnings of prostitutes and breaching conditions of stay, including one 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds.
In another operation, the officers raided a vice establishment operated by a local triad that illegally employed foreign hostesses.
This operation followed intelligence regarding the hiring of foreign women on tourist visas to entertain customers, using intimate physical contact to attract clientele.
Undercover officers posing as customers gathered evidence inside the venue, where staff were observed arranging for foreign hostesses to be selected by diners, with intimate services costing several hundred dollars per hour.
The operation led to the arrest of 35 individuals, including bar directors, manager and 30 foreign women holding passports aged between 24 to 42.
Among the arrestees were one man and three women, aged between 36 and 54, who served as the bar's company director, manager, and license holder, arrested on charges related to employing non-lawfully employable persons.
Additionally, a 36-year-old foreign woman holding a Hong Kong identity card was arrested for allegedly aiding illegal workers to work in Hong Kong
During the operation, police seized cash, dice cups, dice, and other related items.
Authorities expressed concern about the teen-led prostitution ring, urging parents to stay alert over their children’s online activities.
Parents are encouraged to be alert if their children suddenly acquire luxury items and to maintain open communication about their social circles.
The investigation is ongoing.
