Hong Kong customs arrests 7 in a $1.8 billion money laundering case linked to transnational crime

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Hong Kong customs officials have arrested seven people linked to the territory's largest money laundering case on record, involving about $1.8 billion

HONG KONG — Hong Kong customs officials have arrested seven people linked to the territory's largest ever money laundering case, involving about 14 billion Hong Kong dollars ($1.8 billion) some of it linked to a scam case in India.

The seven local residents, aged between 23 and 74, were part of a large-scale transnational syndicate that used various shell companies and bank accounts to transfer large sums from overseas to the city under the guise of running international trading businesses, customs officials said Friday.

One account once received as much as 100 million Hong Kong dollars ($12.8 million) on a single day, they said.

Ip Tung-ching, the head of customs financial investigation bureau, said 2.9 billion Hong Kong dollars ($371 million) of the total was suspected to be linked to a scam case involving a mobile application in India. But she did not say which application it was.

Some of those arrested were non-Chinese residents of Hong Kong, she said without giving details.

Authorities believe the syndicate received remittances from India in name of exporting electronic devices, diamonds, gems and precious metals, Ip said. Proceeds were then transferred to bank accounts in Hong Kong for money laundering.

“These acts of money laundering provide protective umbrellas for the illegal profits of criminals,” she said.

Law enforcement in Hong Kong, India and elsewhere cooperated in carrying out the operation, enabling its success, Ip said.

Yu Yiu-wing, the bureau’s divisional commander, said officers exchanged intelligence with Indian authorities and found some of