78 arrested as Hong Kong police bust HK$5 million online shopping scams

AI Summary

Hong Kong police arrested 78 suspects in a crackdown on online shopping fraud involving more than HK$5 million. The operation, called “Blacksword,” targeted mule accounts used for illicit proceeds, uncovering major scams including cases involving fraudulent medicine purchases.

Hong Kong police have arrested 78 people in a citywide crackdown on online shopping fraud, solving 165 cases involving more than HK$5 million in losses, including one victim who was cheated out of HK$1.2 million while seeking cheaper medicine. Officers arrested 59 men and 19 women aged between 15 and 73 during the operation, code-named “Blacksword”, which ran from June 15 to 26. Of them, 69 were suspected holders of mule accounts used to transfer or process illicit proceeds, with the majority...