50 arrested in crackdown on bid-rigging
Fifty people have been arrested in a joint operation against a syndicate alleged to be engaged in bribery and bid-rigging for major building maintenance and renovation projects. The arrests, which took in the suspected mastermind and core members of the syndicate, were in relation to 27 projects at housing estates and buildings. They are estimated to be worth approximately HK$500 million in…
Fifty individuals were apprehended in a coordinated effort targeting a syndicate accused of bribery and bid-rigging for significant construction projects, according to joint operations conducted by the Competition Commission, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and the police. The arrests targeted the suspected mastermind and key members of the syndicate, linked to 27 housing estate and building projects valued at approximately HK$500 million.
On August 26 and 27, law enforcement conducted raids on 39 premises, including contractor and consultant offices, seizing project documents and accounting records. Illegal gambling venues, allegedly controlled by individuals with connections to triad organizations among the detained, were also targeted. The operation resulted in the arrest of 25 men and 12 women aged between 24 and 62.
The Competition Commission alleged the syndicate's engagement in anti-competitive practices, such as bid-rigging, market-sharing, price fixing, and exchange of competitively sensitive information during tendering processes. The ICAC launched the probe following complaints about a contractor believed to have secured multiple contracts through corruption and bribery.
The contractor allegedly bribed project consultants and some homeowners' corporation members, concealed the company's conviction records to win bids, and divided major renovation projects into smaller parcels to bypass homeowner approval procedures. Additionally, the ICAC suspects that some registered inspectors failed to fulfill their duties and has referred the case to the Buildings Department for further action.
Three suspects were arrested for allegedly using false instruments, suspected of submitting 13 forged work-completion certificates to the Buildings Department.
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