The myth of brotherhood: Hong Kong’s triads evolve amid new criminal landscape

Not long after he entered secondary school, Hong Kong youth Jason* was bullied by an older student with triad links. He was relieved when another senior stepped in to protect him.

He helped Jason take revenge on the bully, then recruited him into a syndicate. Without undergoing any initiation ritual, Jason paid his protector a red packet to become an informal triad member. Later on, he discovered that the two…