Hong Kong police have arrested members of a triad organization that laundered illicit funds for years through lunchbox sales and the operation of illegal gambling dens. Since 2023, the group used multiple nominee accounts to launder 64 million Hong Kong dollars (about 12.5 billion won) in illegal proceeds, with total revenue tallied at 76 million Hong Kong dollars (about 14.8 billion won).
Multiple outlets, including China's Sina Finance, reported Monday that the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested the group through an operation code-named "Legion." Police wrapped up the operation on Nov. 3, arresting the organization's leader at a construction site in Sau Mau Ping. They conducted undercover infiltration to identify the group's structure and cash flows before making the arrests, according to reports. A total of 125 people were arrested, comprising 48 men and 77 women, ranging in age from 22 to 81.
At the scene, police seized more than 500,000 Hong Kong dollars (about 97.51 million won) in cash, luxury watches worth 1.2 million Hong Kong dollars (about 230 million won), two delivery trucks, and gambling equipment worth 1.7 million Hong Kong dollars (about 331 million won). Including other evidence, the total value seized reached 4 million Hong Kong dollars (about 780 million won).
The group turned to the lunchbox business against the backdrop of a development boom in Hong Kong's East Kowloon area. As public and private housing projects launched one after another in recent years, demand for lunchboxes targeting construction workers grew significantly. The organization seized the opportunity to form a cartel and effectively monopolized the market. At the same time, it operated illegal gambling dens in parallel to secure steady cash flow and diversify its revenue structure.
The leader oversaw the business while running an unlicensed food factory, and three core members maintained the criminal network by dividing responsibility for production, distribution, and sales. The investigation also confirmed that, to cut costs, ingredients of unclear origin were cooked in workshops with no sanitation controls. The organization produced 800 lunchboxes a day and sold them for 50 Hong Kong dollars each (about 9,700 won).
