The Police Force’s National Security Department (NSD) arrested five people in Mong Kok today on suspicion of committing seditious acts.

The operation was launched following a referral from the Customs and Excise Department, which had earlier intercepted an overseas shipment containing a batch of books with seditious intent. 

Following investigations, NSD officers searched two shops in Mong Kok. They arrested two men, aged 37 and 57, and three women, aged between 30 and 59, on suspicion of “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention”, contravening section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

Police investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly displayed items with seditious intent and sold publications with seditious content inside the shops.

These publications contained content inciting hatred against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. A batch of books was seized during the operation.

All five individuals remain in custody for further investigation.