14K
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 14K Triad is one of the largest triad groups to come out of Hong Kong. Formed after the Second World War by nationalists fleeing communist China, it has around 30 sub-groups, more than 20,000 members and a well-organized leadership.
As well as Hong Kong, it is also believed to be active around the world, in places like Toronto, New York, Macau, Great Britain, Thailand and Japan. The group is made up of individual chapters, and each chapter operates autonomously. This has led to some confrontation and even turf wars between rival chapters.
The 14K Triad engages in a wide array of criminal activities. Credit card fraud is one such activity, and the worldwide reach of the group allows it to gather credit card information from all around the world.
The 14K Triad fought a bloody turf war with the smaller Shui Fong Triad in Macau during the mid-nineties. Over the course of the conflict, more than 30 people were killed in gun battles, fire bombings and knife fights. Even Portuguese colonial authority figures were targeted, a car bomb almost killing the chief of police. The authorities decided to crack down on triad activity, and in 1998 gang boss Broken Tooth Koi was arrested, charged with various criminal activities and sentenced to 15 years in prison the next year.
