Police arrested 4,140 people and seized cash, dangerous drugs and illicit goods amounting to $548 million during an anti-crime joint operation with their Guangdong and Macau counterparts.

Codenamed “THUNDERBOLT 2025”, the tripartite operation was conducted from August 4 to September 6, and from October 11 to 25.

During the operation, the Hong Kong Police Force conducted searches at about 1,700 locations, neutralising over 800 gambling dens, vice establishments, divans and unlicensed bars.

A total of 4,140 people, aged between 13 and 89, were arrested for triad or drug offences ranging from murder, wounding and blackmail to trafficking in dangerous drugs and money laundering.

Among the arrestees, 780 were Mainlanders and 557 were non-ethnic Chinese.

The force also seized $13.6 million in cash suspected to be crime proceeds as well as dangerous drugs worth more than $500 million.

The intelligence-led enforcement operation was aimed at combating the illegal activities of triad societies and organised crime syndicates, neutralising cross-boundary crimes, and interdicting the criminals’ sources of income.