Criminal Activities of Triad Gangs

Of course, ordinary criminals in China have for years sought to make money by falsifying products which can be sold for money and there are regular stories in Chinese newspapers and magazines about the deaths of dozens of people at a wedding party at which the rice wine was laced with some less expensive filler, such as weedkiller. There was one particularly harrowing incident recently in which scores of Chinese children were killed when the milk they were given proved to be almost entirely brewed from a virulent poison. In these types of activities, the Triad members favor a price skimming tactic – that is, get in quick, make the money easily available and then skedaddle swiftly before the corpses hit the ground.

There are close links between some business tycoons in Hong Kong and triad members and this is presumed to be the case in other offshore Chinese communities. Just like the Yakuza in Japan and the politicians, Triad members find it represents a win-win situation when they are on close terms with important Chinese party members. They have the benefit in the case of China of not having to be concerned about keeping in with the political opposition, because it continues to be outlawed by the Communist Party. Party officials enjoy the occasional nine course luncheon, package of foreign cigarettes and bottle of French cognac. In return, there may be some influence applied in awarding government contracts or else an eye closed to some illicit operation. Whether this is true or not, Chinese social associations in virtually every country of the world have been accused of such connections. Connections of this sort can be very useful in laundering money, since government officials are often instrumental in deciding where and when government projects are to take place. It is said that there is scarcely a bridge or a dam which has not been built with the help of ill-gained Triad money.