Hong Kong: Hong Kong authorities arrested 28 people tied to a suspected triad-linked bid-rigging syndicate targeting building maintenance and renovation contracts, Radio Television Hong Kong reported, citing Secretary for Security Chris Tang.
The coordinated crackdown marks the first operation by a joint task force comprising police, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Competition Commission, Tang said Friday, according to the report.
Hong Kong established the task force after last year’s deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, increasing scrutiny over building management graft and safety standards.
Tang said the syndicate, involving at least 20 buildings or estates, would try to get homeowners to sign contracts quickly by citing fluctuating material prices and the urgent need to begin work, RTHK reported. The tactic steered contracts toward favored engineering consultants and contractors, he added. - Bloomberg
