NCJ Number
55970
Journal
POLICE COLLEGE MAGAZINE Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: (AUTUMN 1978) Pages: 3-10
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES OF CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES ARE EXAMINED, WITH EMPHASIS ON POLICE RESPONSE TO THE SOCIETIES' ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ENTRANCE TO CHINESE COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES IN GREAT BRITAIN.
Abstract
DURING ITS YEARS AS AN UNDERGROUND REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT, THE TRIAD SOCIETY WAS INFILTRATED BY CRIMINALS. WHEN LEGITIMATE MEMBERS ACHIEVED THEIR OBJECTIVE OF OVERTHROWING THE MANCHU DYNASTY IN CHINA, THEY ABANDONED THE SOCIETY TO THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT, AND THE TRIAD INFLUENCE SPREAD TO HONG KONG, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE, AND GREAT BRITAIN. THERE IS NO LONGER A SINGLE, CENTRALLY CONTROLLED TRIAD SOCIETY, BUT RATHER A NUMBER OF RIVAL CRIMINAL GANGS WHOSE ONLY COMMON BOND IS THEIR USE OF TRIAD RITUALS AND TERMINOLOGY. IN BRITAIN, THE CHINESE COMMUNITY TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN ISOLATED AND PEACEFUL, AND ITS MEMBERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RELUCTANT TO CALL UPON GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. HOWEVER, IN THE MID-1970'S THERE WAS AN OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE IN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY, AND THE EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT OF CHINESE IN HEROIN TRAFFICKING IN BRITAIN WAS REVEALED. THE POLICE ALSO BECAME AWARE OF ATTEMPTS BY TRIAD SOCIETIES TO INVADE CHINESE COMMUNITIES. THE POLICE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THWARTING THE SOCIETIES, BUT FUTURE ATTEMPTS ARE LIKELY. THE POLICE ARE PREPARING FOR SUCH ATTEMPTS BY ASSIGNING SPECIAL UNITS TO DEAL WITH CHINESE CRIME, BY PLANNING TO RECRUIT CHINESE INTO THE POLICE FORCE, AND BY IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE CHINESE COMMUNITY. DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF CHINESE INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG TRAFFICKING AND OTHER CRIME IN BRITAIN ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)