Eighteen triad members, aged 16 to 43, have been sentenced at the District Court to jail terms, community service orders or sent to rehabilitation, detention and training centres.

Police launched an undercover operation in March 2002 to infiltrate a triad group active in West Kowloon. After 18 months' extensive investigation, the operation turned overt in September last year when 63 people were arrested for assisting in the management of a triad society, inviting another person to become a member of a triad society, being, acting as and claiming to be a member of a triad society, trafficking in dangerous drugs, and manufacturing and selling pirated discs.

Among them, 21 men were charged with 15 offences - assisting in the management of a triad society, inviting another person to become a member of a triad society, acting as and claiming to be a member of a triad society.