Three arrested after attempted $10m currency robbery in Sheung Wan

Three men have been arrested after an attempted robbery targeting two people who had exchanged about HK$10 million worth of foreign currencies in Sheung Wan, police said.

The incident took place outside Exit B of Sheung Wan MTR station after the pair exchanged a large sum of US dollars and Chinese yuan at a nearby money changer.

According to police, the victims were intercepted by robbers armed with knives shortly after leaving the exchange shop. One of the victims suffered a minor injury to his left hand while struggling with the suspects.

Officers who had been lying in wait nearby immediately moved in and arrested two male suspects at the scene. A third suspect, who was driving a private car believed to be connected to the case, was intercepted and arrested in the vicinity shortly afterward.

Police said preliminary investigations found no evidence suggesting the victims were connected to the suspects. Authorities are also investigating whether the case is linked to a series of previous robberies involving foreign currency.

At the scene, police officers were seen conducting investigations at a nearby money exchange shop and cordoning off the suspected getaway vehicle. Two of the suspects were later seen assisting officers with inquiries inside the MTR station.

The case has been handed over to the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) for further investigation.

According to police, the three arrested men are aged between 19 and 31 and all hold Hong Kong identity cards, with one also carrying a Philippine passport. Some of the suspects are believed to have triad backgrounds.

Senior Superintendent Lo Ka-chun of the OCTB said police had earlier received intelligence that a criminal group was planning a robbery and deployed officers in advance. The three suspects were arrested at Sheung Wan MTR station at around 9am.

The victims are residents of Hong Kong and Macau. Police confirmed that no property was lost in the incident.

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Responding to questions about whether the case involved an inside job or criminal infighting, Lo said there was no evidence indicating any relationship between the victims and the suspects.

Police are also investigating how the suspects became aware that the victims would be exchanging a large amount of foreign currency that day. Lo said officers would review CCTV footage to determine whether the suspects had conducted surveillance beforehand.