Police smashed a gangster-backed prostitution syndicate and arrested more than 200 people yesterday in one of Hong Kong's largest ever anti-vice operations, a police spokeswoman said.
Almost 900 police swooped on over 80 brothels, pornographic mini-cinemas and other vice establishments in the operation "Fire Lily," which began shortly after midnight.
A police spokesman said the syndicate operated also on the Chinese mainland and was backed by the 14K, one of the most powerful triad groups in Hong Kong.
"Our aim is to target a cross-border prostitution syndicate which is backed by the 14K," he said.
"Our aim is to neutralize the masterminds of this syndicate."
Among the 213 people arrested were brothel managers, pimps and prostitutes. Of these, 83 were men and 130 women.
At least 14 of them were believed to be gangsters.
No charges have been laid and raids were still ongoing, the spokeswoman said.
(China Daily May 8, 2002)
