Behind the prosperity of Hong Kong, an international financial city, an unprecedented money laundering case was successfully cracked by the Hong Kong Customs. The amount involved is as high as HK$14 billion, making it the largest money laundering case ever cracked by Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, which has aroused widespread concern from all walks of life.
The cracking of this case stems from a precise intelligence lock-in. Based on the clues obtained, the Financial Investigation Bureau of the Customs and Excise Department secretly launched a wealth investigation operation codenamed "Fox Hunt". After months of in-depth investigation, a family-run money laundering syndicate gradually surfaced.
The money laundering syndicate not only opened a number of shell companies and a number of puppet bank accounts in Hong Kong, but also recruited local and foreign nationals to participate in money laundering activities through intermediaries. They use complex financial operations to mix black money into normal economic activities in an attempt to conceal the source and flow of funds, so as to achieve the purpose of money laundering.
With sufficient evidence, the Customs and Excise Department took decisive enforcement action on January 30. Raids were carried out on a number of residential and commercial units in Kowloon Tong, Ho Man Tin and Hung Hom, and seven persons suspected to be in connection with the case were arrested in one fell swoop. Shockingly, the mastermind of the group turned out to be a 34-year-old non-Chinese man.
The operation not only succeeded in apprehending the suspect, but also successfully freezing HK$165 million in assets in the name of the arrested person. This figure not only sets a record for the asset freeze of Hong Kong Customs in cracking money laundering cases, but also fully demonstrates the determination and capability of Hong Kong Customs to combat money laundering crimes.
The cracking of the case has aroused widespread attention and high praise from all walks of life. Experts said that the successful cracking of this case is not only a powerful blow to money laundering crimes, but also a firm safeguard of Hong Kong's financial order.
Familial money laundering
The money laundering case uncovered this time is not only large-scale, but also cunning. This reminds us once again that money laundering is not only a disruption of the financial order, but also a serious challenge to social integrity and the spirit of the rule of law. The Customs and Excise Department will continue to maintain a high degree of vigilance and co-operate with all parties to resolutely combat money laundering and safeguard Hong Kong's reputation and stability as an international financial centre.
However, this case is also a wake-up call for us. The increasingly sophisticated and covert methods of money-laundering crimes pose a serious threat to financial security and social stability. We need to further strengthen financial supervision and law enforcement, raise public awareness of money laundering crimes and prevent them, and jointly maintain financial order and social stability.
Customs officers
Here, we would like to express our high respect and heartfelt thanks to the Customs and Excise Department for their hard work and selfless dedication to create a safe, stable and prosperous social environment for us. At the same time, we also call on the general public to actively support and cooperate with the anti-money laundering work to jointly safeguard our financial security and social stability.
Finally, let us give a thumbs up to the Hong Kong police! Will these people be sentenced to death? The case is as high as 14 billion Hong Kong dollars.