UK Terror of the triads

UK: Terror of the triads


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At first glance, the feudal undercurrents of ancient Chinese dynasties would appear to have little in common with the blunt horrors of inner-city crime in 1990s Britain.
But they form the roots of one of the world's biggest and most feared organised crime networks - the Triads.
The highly secretive criminal network, which has a global spread, is suspected of involvement in a string of recent high-profile crimes.
Police fear that 19-year-old London student Elizabeth Chau, who disappeared in April, could have been abducted by a Triad gang.


In May, three suspected members of a Vietnamese Triad gang were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a London waiter. A month later police freed five illegal immigrants, who had been kidnapped and tortured by a Triad gang in London, while earlier this year the Triads were blamed for a recent surge in world-wide credit card fraud.
In the latest incident, police suspect the fraternity of involvement in an attack on a man who was beaten to death in Essex at the weekend.
The highly secretive nature of Triad dealings makes it difficult to filter myth from reality in judging the full extent of their activities.
What is certain is that they carry out a range of criminal work with brutal effectiveness.
Author Martin Booth, whose book, The Dragon Syndicate, is an in-depth look at the spread of Triad culture, quoted a UN source as saying they constitute "the greatest potential criminal threat the world has ever known".
A similar degree of uncertainty must be applied to the origins of the Triad underworld.

The hussle and bussle of Hong Kong, where up to 50 Triad gangs operate

Booth traced the first "official" Triad group back to 9AD feudal China, when secret societies offered protection to families. The name "Triad" is supposed to represent the harmony between heaven, Earth and man. Triads sprang from the principles of earlier secretive societies, which had been founded on the lines of clan alliance, personal indebtedness and mutual protection.
They existed for centuries as quasi-cultural institutions, but by the 19th Century the imperial authorities had decreed membership to be punishable by death.
Ironically, while communist China under Chairman Mao was busy stamping out Triads as part of a wider crackdown on its ancient hierarchical history, they were flourishing under the gaze of UK authorities.
Thrived in Hong Kong
In British-ruled Hong Kong, Triads were treated as just another cultural institution and as a consequence were able to flourish.
Triad activity achieved a global spread with the 20th Century Chinese Disapora.
Gangs now have a foothold in countries as far apart as the Holland, Malaysia, Australia, the United States and South Africa. In the UK they are active in urban centres - mostly London, Manchester, Glasgow and Hull.
Recently there were an estimated 50 Triad gangs operating in Hong Kong. Britain is thought to be home to four major gangs, including the renowned 14K, which is arguably the biggest in numbers.
Their spread has been mirrored by a growth in the range of their criminal enterprise. They now profit on a mix of drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, kidnapping, illegal immigration, counterfeiting, video piracy, loan sharking and gambling.
Heroin dealing
According to one estimate by Martin Booth, Triads are responsible for 90% of the heroin trade.
Some are loose-knit groups of criminals while others have a more official structure. Yet in general, modern Triad groups have simplified their structure to make operation easier.
The secretive nature of their dealings and the fact they operate mostly just within the Chinese community, mean police have fought an up-hill battle against the underworld. Victims are often too scared to even report incidents while witnesses will sometimes give a statement only to withdraw it as the trial approaches.