Hong Kong students arrested as alleged core members of HK$2.16m fraud syndicate

In Hong Kong, a man and a woman, both 38, have been arrested by national security police on suspicion of operating "seditious" social media pages, according to a statement released by the city's police force on Thursday. The incident occurred in Kowloon on Tuesday, and both individuals were apprehended on charges related to the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, locally known as Article 23.

The statement detailed that the man and woman were suspected of creating various social media pages with the intent of inciting hatred against the constitutional order of Hong Kong. Police further revealed that the man, who is a licensed insurance agent, allegedly used this platform to profit from selling insurance products.

The police secured a court warrant for the search of the pair's residences, and both were granted bail while awaiting further investigation. Local media reports identified the arrested man as Wong Ka-ho, a former member of localist groups North of the Rings and North District Blueprint. The woman, reportedly a close friend of Wong, was also involved in the alleged activities. Wong had previously run for a seat on the local district council in both 2015 and 2019, but was unsuccessful in both attempts.

Under Article 23, sedition is a serious offense in Hong Kong, with the potential penalty of up to seven years in prison.