Hong Kong police have detained 25 individuals, including minors as young as 13, in a major operation dismantling a loan shark syndicate accused of charging annual interest rates of up to 282%.
The arrests represent a significant escalation in the territory's ongoing efforts to combat organized financial crime and protect vulnerable borrowers from predatory lending practices.
Authorities revealed that the criminal network exploited social media platforms to recruit teenagers, who were then tasked with intimidating debtors through aggressive phone calls and the use of red paint to mark victims' properties.
The involvement of such young individuals in violent collection tactics highlights the evolving methods used by syndicates to evade detection and exert pressure on borrowers.
This development follows a series of high-profile police operations in Hong Kong targeting organized crime.
In recent months, authorities have detained dozens of suspects in separate raids, including a major operation that led to the arrest of 69 individuals linked to a syndicate suspected of laundering approximately HK$200 million (US$25.5 million).