Police arrested 58 people on October 29 in an operation targeting alleged triad recruitment of young people. Thirteen of those arrested were under 18, 10 were students and the youngest was 14, police said.
Police also said 21 of the 58 had triad backgrounds.
The arrests followed undercover work that began early in 2026, when police said they had noticed a rise in youth crime. Officers from the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau infiltrated two triad societies, according to Senior Inspector Chan Pak-kei, who briefed reporters on the investigation.
Police said triad members approached young people online and at places they gathered in person, building trust before inviting them to join. Members used promises of quick money to draw recruits into alleged offences including assault, criminal intimidation, criminal damage such as splashing red paint, money laundering and drug trafficking.
Officers searched multiple locations during the operation, which police said also broke up several illegal gambling premises and drug dens.
Chan said a simple joining ritual could help win trust: one example was handing out red packets to recruit young people into a society.