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71-526: Blue Lantern ( s ) may refer to: Uninitiated members of a triad Blue Lantern (short story collection) , a 1991 book by Victor Pelevin "Blue Lantern" (short story) , the title story Blue Lantern Corps , a fictional organization in DC Comics The Blue Lantern , a 1918 German silent film See also [ edit ] Blue Light (disambiguation) Topics referred to by

142-705: A ProPublica investigation found that the leadership of certain Chinese police overseas service stations have ties to organized crime. In 2024, the OCCRP and The Age reported on connections between triad figures and the CCP's united front operations in the Pacific, particularly in Fiji . Triads use numeric codes to distinguish ranks and positions within the gang; the numbers are inspired by Chinese numerology and are based on

213-556: A China-based criminal organization, secret association, or club, was a branch of the secret Hung Society , a secret society formed with the intent of overthrowing the then-ruling Qing dynasty . Triads therefore first began as part of an organised patriotic movement to overthrow ethnic Manchu Qing rule, which was considered tyrannical and foreign to the Han ethnic majority. At the turn of the 19th century, Chinese triads were involved in revolutionary and underground activities designed to subvert

284-501: A Red Pole), overseeing defensive and offensive operations, is 426; 49 denotes a soldier, or rank-and-file member. The White Paper Fan (415) provides financial and business advice, and the Straw Sandal (432) is a liaison between units. An undercover law-enforcement agent or spy from another triad is 25, also popular Hong Kong slang for an informant. Blue Lanterns are uninitiated members, equivalent to Mafia associates, and do not have

355-600: A black society from ordinary "dark forces" or low-level criminal gangs are the extent to which the organization is able to control local markets and the degree of police protection able to be obtained. The Tiandihui , the Heaven and Earth Society, also called Hongmen (the Vast Family), is a Chinese fraternal organization and historically a secretive folk religious sect in the vein of the Ming loyalist White Lotus Sect ,

426-403: A chicken, pig, or goat. After drinking a mixture of wine and blood (from the animal or the candidate), the member passes beneath an arch of swords while reciting the triad's oaths. The paper on which the oaths are written will be burnt on the altar to confirm the member's obligation to perform his duties to the gods. Three fingers of the left hand are raised as a binding gesture. The triad initiate

497-571: A combination of military and social policies. Approximately 7,000 Banner troops were sent in from Manchuria in combination with Green Standard Army soldiers from Guizhou and Yunnan as well as tens of thousands of local mercenaries. A decree by the Daoguang Emperor admitted, "it was extortion by local officials that goaded the people into rebellion..." By threatening the arrest of people who engaged in sectarian activities, local officials and police extorted money from people. Consequently,

568-625: A designating number. According to De Leon Petta Gomes da Costa, who interviewed triads and authorities in Hong Kong, most of the current structure is a vague, low hierarchy. The traditional ranks and positions no longer exist. Similar to the Indian thuggees or the Japanese yakuza , triad members participate in initiation ceremonies. A typical ceremony takes place at an altar dedicated to Guan Yu , with incense and an animal sacrifice , usually

639-493: A person's actual participation in sectarian activities had no impact on his or her arrest; what really mattered was whether monetary demands were met or not. Administrators also seized and destroyed sectarian scriptures which were used by the religious groups. One such official was Huang Yupian ( 黃育楩 ), who refuted the ideas which were found in the scriptures which expressed orthodox Confucian and Buddhist views in A Detailed Refutation of Heresy ( 破邪詳辯 Pōxié Xiángbiàn ), which

710-760: A result, most traditional Chinese secret societies, including the triads and some of the remaining Green Gang, relocated to Hong Kong, Taiwan , Southeast Asia , and overseas countries (particularly the United States ), where they competed with the Tong and other ethnic Chinese criminal organizations. Gradually, Chinese secret societies turned to the illegal drug trade and extortion for income. In mainland China, there are of two major types of "mainland Chinese criminal organizations": loosely-organized "dark forces" ( 黑恶势力 ; Hēi è shìlì ) and more mature "black societies" ( 黑社会 ; Hēishèhuì ). Two features which distinguish

781-571: A resurgence as gangsters took advantage of the uncertainty to re-establish themselves. Some Chinese communities, such as " new villages " in Kuala Lumpur and Bukit Ho Swee in Singapore, became notorious for gang violence. After 1949, in mainland China, law enforcement became stricter and a government crackdown on criminal organizations forced the triads to migrate to British Hong Kong. An estimated 300,000 triad members lived in Hong Kong during

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852-414: A scheme which, prior to its discovery, had been netting millions of dollars' worth of revenue for both organizations. Triads engage in a variety of crimes such as fraud , extortion , and money laundering , drug trafficking and prostitution , illegal gambling, smuggling , and counterfeit consumer goods such as music, video, software, clothes, watches, and money. Since the first opium bans during

923-432: A tax protest. The White Lotus led impoverished settlers into rebellion, promising personal salvation in return for their loyalty. Beginning as tax protests, the eventual rebellion gained growing support and sympathy from many ordinary people. The grew in number and power and eventually, into a serious concern for the government. The Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–96) sent Helin (和琳, brother of Heshen ) and Fuk'anggan to quell

994-604: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Triad (organized crime) A triad ( traditional Chinese : 三合會 ; simplified Chinese : 三合会 ; Jyutping : saam1 hap6 wui6 ; Cantonese Yale : sāam hahp wúi ; pinyin : sān hé huì ) is a Chinese transnational organized crime syndicate based in Greater China with outposts in various countries having significant overseas Chinese populations. The triads originated from secret societies formed in

1065-492: Is purely secular . Such societies were seen as legitimate ways of helping immigrants from China settle into their new place of residence through employment and development of local connections. Secret societies were banned by the British colonial government in Singapore during the 1890s and were slowly reduced in number by successive colonial governors and leaders. Rackets which facilitated the economic power of Singapore triads,

1136-538: Is reason to doubt that the White Lotus Society had any organizational unity. Barend Joannes Ter Haar has argued that the term "White Lotus" was used primarily by Ming and Qing imperial bureaucrats to disparagingly explain a wide range of unconnected millenarian traditions, rebel movements, and popular religious practices. According to Ter Haar, it is clear that the "White Lotus" rebels of the uprisings that occurred between 1796 and 1804 did not voluntarily use

1207-906: Is required to adhere to 36 oaths. The most powerful triads based in Hong Kong are: Many triads emigrated to Taiwan and Chinese communities worldwide: Similar to triads, Tongs originated independently in early immigrant Chinatown communities. The word means "social club", and tongs are not specifically underground organizations. The first tongs formed during the second half of the 19th century among marginalized members of early immigrant Chinese-American communities for mutual support and protection from nativists . Modeled on triads, they were established without clear political motives and became involved in criminal activities such as extortion, illegal gambling, drug and human trafficking, murder, and prostitution. Triads are also active in Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia. When Malaysia and Singapore (with

1278-909: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation revealed that Hong Kong-based jewelry and real estate development conglomerate Chow Tai Fook was endorsed by the Queensland state government as a 25% shareholder in The Star casino 's Queen's wharf development. The Chow Fook Tai conglomerate is owned by Cheng Yu-tung , who was believed to have affiliations with the 14K triad and was alleged to have connections with Hong Kong and Macau organised crime syndicates, specifically through business connections with Wan Kuok Kui , "Broken Tooth", or "Broken Tooth Koi" in triad circles. The 14K, Sun Yee On triads were believed to have been closely affiliated with Cheng and used as enforcers for

1349-679: The I Ching . The Mountain (or Dragon Master Head) is 489, 438 is the Deputy Mountain Master, 432 indicates Straw Sandal rank; the Mountain Master's proxy, Incense Master (who oversees inductions into the triad), and Vanguard are 438 or 2238 (who assists the Incense Master). Law enforcement and intel have it that the Vanguard may actually hold the highest power or final word. A military commander (also known as

1420-762: The Australian Federal Police , Reece Kershaw , stated at the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group that foreign governments were collaborating with criminal syndicates in the West and that: "state actors and citizens from some nations are using our countries at the expense of our sovereignty and economies". While no country was mentioned in particular, China was notably included, with the implication of involvement of Chinese organised crime in Australia. In August 2022, reporting by

1491-569: The Chinese economic reform , triads and other triad-like "black societies" re-emerged in mainland China. In modern times, triads overseas have been alleged to have connections to the government of the People's Republic of China . According to the Oxford English Dictionary , "triad" is a translation of the Chinese term San He Hui ( 三合會 ), referring to the union of heaven, earth, and humanity. Another theory posits that

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1562-749: The Eight Banner armies, whether they had Manchu or Han banners, were not to be used to suppress internal uprisings, so the Qing mainly relied on the Han Chinese Green Standard Army and Han militias in order to suppress rebellions such as the White Lotus. The Qing commanders who were sent to repress the rebellion had a difficult time putting down the White Lotus. The White Lotus bands mainly used guerrilla tactics, and once they disbanded, they were virtually indistinguishable from

1633-540: The Green Gang , another Hung Society splinter which participated in the Shanghai massacre of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members in 1927. After the proclamation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, secret societies in mainland China were suppressed in campaigns ordered by Mao Zedong . Deng Xiaoping also suppressed the secret societies in his "Strike Hard" campaigns against organized crime in 1978. As

1704-658: The Hong Kong 50-cent piece . The gangs were also involved in counterfeiting expensive books for sale on the black market. With the advent of new technology and the improvement of the average standard of living, triads produce counterfeit goods such as watches, film VCDs and DVDs, and designer apparel such as clothing and handbags. Since the 1970s, triad turf control was weakened and some shifted their revenue streams to legitimate businesses. Due to their history of "patriotic" work in support of various political movements and factions, triads have long been alleged to have connections to

1775-602: The Hong Kong protests . At the national (and, in some cases, provincial) level, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police 's Organized Crime Branch is responsible for investigating gang-related activities (including triads). The Canada Border Services Agency Organized Crime Unit works with the RCMP to detain and remove non-Canadian triad members. Asian gangs are found in many cities, primarily Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. The Guns and Gangs Unit of

1846-765: The North China Plain and occupied the Yuan capital Khanbaliq (present-day Beijing ). Having attained the Mandate of Heaven and the status of Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang named his period of reign "Hongwu" (thus he was known as the Hongwu Emperor) and founded a new dynasty – the Ming dynasty . The group later reemerged in the late 18th century in the form of an inspired Chinese movement. Though many movements and rebellions were considered by imperial bureaucrats to have been led by White Lotus Society leaders, there

1917-620: The South Vietnamese military to disarm and imprison organized-crime groups in the Saigon- Gia Định - Biên Hòa - Vũng Tàu region and cities such as Mỹ Tho and Cần Thơ in the Mekong Delta . Diem banned brothels, massage parlours, casinos and gambling houses, opium dens, bars, drug houses, and nightclubs, all establishments frequented by the triads. However, Diệm allowed criminal activity to finance his attempts to eliminate

1988-610: The Toronto Police Service is responsible for handling triads in the city. The Asian Gang Unit of the Metro Toronto Police was formerly responsible for dealing with triad-related matters, but a larger unit was created to deal with the broad array of ethnic gangs. The Organized Crime and Law Enforcement Act provides a tool for police forces in Canada to handle organized criminal activity. The act enhances

2059-678: The White Lotus , the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions , and the Heaven and Earth Society . The generic use of the word "triads" for all Chinese criminal organizations is imprecise; triad groups are geographically, ethnically, culturally, and structurally unique. "Triads" are traditional organized-crime groups originating from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Criminal organizations operating in, or originating from, mainland China are "mainland Chinese criminal groups" or "black societies". The Triad,

2130-612: The 18th and 19th centuries with the intent of overthrowing the then-ruling Qing dynasty . In the 20th century, triads were enlisted by the Kuomintang (KMT) during the Republican era to attack political enemies, including assassinations. Following the founding of the People's Republic of China and subsequent crackdowns, triads and their operations flourished in Macau , Hong Kong , Taiwan , and overseas Chinese communities. Since

2201-699: The 1950s. According to the University of Hong Kong, most triad societies were established between 1914 and 1939 and there were once more than 300 in the territory. The number of groups has consolidated to about 50, of which 14 are under police surveillance. There were four main groups of triads—the Chiu Chow Group (including Sun Yee On ), 14K , the Wo Group (including Wo Shing Wo ), and the Sze Tai ( Luen Group , Tan Yee , Macau Chai , Tung Group ),

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2272-646: The 19th century, Chinese criminal gangs have been involved in worldwide illegal drug trade . Many triads switched from opium to heroin, produced from opium plants in the Golden Triangle , refined into heroin in China, and trafficked to North America and Europe, in the 1960s and 1970s. The most important triads active in the international heroin trade are the 14K and the Big Circle Gang . Triads smuggle chemicals from Chinese factories to North America (for

2343-515: The Big Four in Chinese—operating in Hong Kong. They divided land by ethnic group and geographic locations, with each triad in charge of a region. Each had their own headquarters, sub-societies, and public image. In the early 1980s, the deputy secretary of Xinhua News Agency , Wong Man-fong, negotiated with Hong Kong-based triads on behalf of the Chinese government to ensure their peace after

2414-653: The CCP elite. According to the United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party , the opioid epidemic in the United States has assisted the triads in becoming "the world's premier money launderers." Triads have been engaging in counterfeiting since the 1880s. During the 1960s and 1970s, they were involved in counterfeiting currency , often

2485-562: The CCP with plausible deniability for political warfare efforts and influence within the certain grassroots communities. According to Martin Purbrick, the CCP "recognised the benefit of triads as part of their United Front activities to neutralise opposition." This was demonstrated through the involvement of triads in the 2019 Yuen Long attack against pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong in 2019. Hong Kong police were subsequently accused of collusion with triad criminal syndicates due to

2556-434: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), often via its related united front groups. Triad members have acted as agents of the party-state in achieving its political objectives of suppressing dissent, quelling protests and silencing, intimidating, and coercing critics both at home and abroad, particularly in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and countries with high concentrations of ethnic Chinese diaspora. Organized crime groups have provided

2627-993: The Criminal Intelligence Bureau work with the Narcotics and Commercial Crime Bureaus to process information to counter triad leaders. Other involved departments include the Customs and Excise Department , the Immigration Department , and the Independent Commission Against Corruption . They cooperate with the police to impede the expansion of triads and other organized gangs. Police actions regularly target organised crime, including raids on triad-controlled entertainment establishments and undercover work. The journal Foreign Policy reported in its August 2019 edition, alleged triad involvement in repressing

2698-455: The German city of Neuss . The indictment accused the Chinese triad of extortion, usury, illegal gambling, prostitution, and drug trafficking. The group was said to have infiltrated the transport sector, using intimidation and violence against Chinese companies wishing to transport goods by road into Europe. Police seized several vehicles, businesses, properties, and bank accounts. According to

2769-511: The Qing troops were soon nicknamed the "Red Lotus" Society. A systematic program of pacification followed: the populace was resettled in hundreds of stockaded villages and organized into militias. In its last stage, the Qing suppression policy combined the pursuit and extermination of rebel guerrilla bands with a program of amnesty for deserters. In 1805, the imperial authorities suppressed the White Lotus Rebellion by instituting

2840-674: The Tiandihui's ancestral organization. As the Tiandihui spread through different counties and provinces, it branched off into many groups and became known by many names, including the Sanhehui . The Hongmen grouping is today more or less synonymous with the whole Tiandihui concept, although the title "Hongmen" is also claimed by some criminal groups. Branches of the Hongmen were also formed by Chinese communities overseas , some of which became known as Chinese Freemasons. Its current iteration

2911-780: The Triad operating in South Africa: the Wo Shing Wo group, the San Yee On group, the 14K-Hau group, and the 14K-Ngai group. On November 22, 2022, a shoot-out between rival Triad factions took place on a crowded street in Cape Town, leaving several bystanders injured. The Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) is the division of the Hong Kong Police Force responsible for triad countermeasures. The OCTB and

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2982-564: The United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Peru, and Argentina. They are often involved in migrant smuggling. Shanty and Mishra (2007) estimate that the annual profit from narcotics is $ 200 billion, and annual revenues from human trafficking into Europe and the United States are believed to amount to $ 3.5 billion. In Australia, the major importer of illicit drugs in recent decades has been 'The Company', according to police sources in

3053-657: The Viet Minh in the south. Law enforcement was stricter in the north, with stringent control and monitoring of criminal activities. The government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam purged and imprisoned organized criminals, including triads, in the Haiphong and Hanoi areas. With pressure from Ho Chi Minh's police, Triad affiliates had to choose between elimination or legality. During the Vietnam War ,

3124-518: The ailing Qing, which was considered corrupt and incapable of reform. Secret societies in the Qing Dynasty era were synonymous with patriotism, with groups operating under the banner of: "Oppose the Qing and Restore the Ming dynasty " ( 反清复明 ; Fǎn Qīng Fù Míng ). Triads were also enlisted by the Kuomintang (KMT) during the Republican era in order to assassinate political opponents and attack political enemies. Notable organizations included

3195-845: The collection of gambling debts, in addition to being engaged in prostitution, human, and drug trafficking. Kui has been the subject of sanctions by the United States Department of Treasury under the Magnitsky Act for corruption, embezzlement, and "misappropriation of state assets" as of 2020. Primary laws addressing triads are the Societies Ordinance and the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. The former, enacted in 1949 to outlaw triads in Hong Kong, stipulates that any person convicted of being (or claiming to be) an officeholder or managing (or assisting in

3266-405: The courts to confiscate the proceeds of such crimes. White Lotus Rebellion Although the rebellion was finally crushed by the Qing government after eight years of fighting, it marked a sharp decline in the strength and prosperity of the Qing dynasty. The government had to depend on more Han Chinese recruits ( Green Standard ) since there were not enough Manchu . The rebellion was ended by

3337-483: The deaths of some 100,000 rebels. The White Lotus Rebellion was initiated as an antitax protest led by the White Lotus Society , a secret religious society . The White Lotus Society is traditionally considered to have first appeared during the Jin dynasty founded by Huiyuan in Mount Lu , Jiujiang . The Red Turban Rebellion which took place in 1352, was led by the White Lotus group. By 1387, after more than 30 years of war, their leader, Zhu Yuanzhang conquered

3408-424: The expert in terrorist organizations and mafia-type organized crime, Antonio De Bonis, there is a close relationship between the Triads and the Camorra , and the port of Naples is the most important landing point of the trades managed by the Chinese in cooperation with the Camorra. Among the illegal activities in which the two criminal organizations work together are human trafficking and illegal immigration aimed at

3479-544: The form of underground meditation teachings and practice in Shandong province, not far from Beijing ( Zhili ) near the city of Linqing . The leader, herbalist and martial artist Wang Lun , led an uprising that captured three small cities and laid siege to the larger city of Linqing, a strategic location on the north-south Grand Canal transportation route. Wang Lun likely failed because he did not make any attempts to raise wide public support. He did not distribute captured wealth or food supplies, nor did he promise to lessen

3550-410: The general role of the Criminal Code (with amendments to deal with organized crime) in dealing with criminal triad activities. Asian organized-crime groups were ranked the fourth-greatest organized-crime problem in Canada, behind outlaw motorcycle clubs, aboriginal crime groups, and Indo-Canadian crime groups. In 2011, it was estimated that criminal gangs associated with triads controlled 90 percent of

3621-503: The handover of Hong Kong. In the 1980s, triad activity increased in mainland China as a result of economic and political changes , increased corruption, rapid urbanization , and increased demands for illicit goods and services. On 18 January 2018, Italian police arrested 33 people connected to a Chinese triad operating in Europe as part of its Operation China Truck (which began in 2011). The triad were active in Tuscany , Veneto , Rome , and Milan in Italy, and in France, Spain, and

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3692-500: The heroin trade in Vancouver . Due to its geographic and demographic characteristics, Vancouver is the point of entry into North America for much of the heroin produced in Southeast Asia (much of the trade controlled by international organized-crime groups associated with triads). From 2006 to 2014, Southeast, East and South Asians accounted for 21 percent of gang deaths in British Columbia (trailing only Caucasians, who made up 46.3 percent of gang deaths). In June 2022, commissioner of

3763-486: The local population. As one Qing official complained: The rebels are all our own subjects. They are not like some external tribe ... that can be demarcated by a territorial boundary and identified by its distinctive clothing and language ... When they congregate and oppose the government, they are rebels; when they disperse and depart, they are civilians once more. Without a clear enemy to fight against, brutality against civilians became more common. Due to their brutality,

3834-618: The management) of a triad can be fined up to HK$ 1 million and imprisoned for up to 15 years. The power of triads has also diminished due to the 1974 establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption . The commission targeted corruption in police departments linked with triads. Being a member of a triad is an offence punishable by fines ranging from HK$ 100,000 to HK$ 250,000 and three to seven years imprisonment under an ordinance enacted in Hong Kong in 1994, which aims to provide police with special investigative powers, provide heavier penalties for organized-crime activities, and authorize

3905-419: The next major domestic rebellion, the Eight Trigrams Uprising of 1813 . Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, the area of the boundary between Henan and Anhui was perpetually plagued by White Lotus revolts, the White Lotus rebels were frequently in league with the area's brigands and salt smugglers. Other White Lotus spinoffs include the Eight Trigrams, the Tiger Whips, and the Yihequan (Boxers). The tide of

3976-643: The notable absence of officers at the time of the scene despite heavy police presence at protest events in weeks prior. The activities of triads are enabled by both local government corruption and law enforcement authorities who turn a blind eye to criminal behavior when influenced by the seniority of corrupt officials out of political convenience. In mainland China, triad groups have worked with local CCP officials. A 2022 Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) identified connections between key triad figures linked to Wan Kuok-koi and CCP united front political influence operations in Palau . In 2023,

4047-409: The opium trade, and prostitution were also banned. Immigrants were encouraged to seek help from a local kongsi instead of turning to secret societies, which contributed to the societies' decline. During the Taiping Rebellion, many either decided or were forced to aid the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in opposition to the interference of the Qing dynasty. After World War II , the secret societies saw

4118-489: The production of fentanyl and methamphetamine ), and to Europe for the production of MDMA . They are increasingly involved in unlicensed cannabis cultivation in the US. Triads in the United States also traffic large quantities of ketamine . Triad figures are also responsible for large-scale drug trafficking into Australia. Triads have become the principal money launderers for drug cartels in Mexico, Italy, and elsewhere. They are reported to be money movers for

4189-499: The rebellion was turned by Qing leaders relying on the local gentry-raised private militias of Hunan, Hubei and Shaanxi. The experience of suppressing the rebellion led to improvement in the organization and training of the militia, as many of their leaders wrote extensively on mobilization, enlistment and local defense methods. These militia groups were later instrumental in defeating the Taiping rebellion. Forty-eight years later, Zeng Guofan , leader of Hunan-based Xiang Army studied

4260-452: The region's largest population of ethnic Chinese) became crown colonies , secret societies and triads controlled local communities by extorting protection money and illegal money lending . Many conducted blood rituals, such as drinking one another's blood, as a sign of brotherhood; others ran opium dens and brothels. Remnants of these former gangs and societies still exist. Due to government efforts in Malaysia and Singapore to reduce crime,

4331-550: The region. This is a conglomerate run by triad bosses which focuses particularly on methamphetamine and cocaine. It has laundered money through junkets for high-stakes gamblers who visit Crown Casinos in Australia and Macau. In South Africa, Law Enforcement Authorities have claimed that several large independent subgroups of the Triad conduct large scale human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, as well as operate prostitution and gambling rings. South African authorities have identified four major Chinese gangs connected to

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4402-423: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Blue Lanterns . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blue_Lanterns&oldid=1131951304 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

4473-408: The sexual and labor exploitation of Chinese immigrants into Italy, as well as synthetic drug trafficking and the laundering of illicit money through the purchase of real estate. In 2017, investigators discovered an illicit industrial waste transportation scheme jointly run by the Camorra and Triads. The waste was transported from Italy to China, leaving from Prato in Italy and arriving in Hong Kong -

4544-452: The societies have largely faded from the public eye (particularly in Malaysia). Triads were also common in Vietnamese cities with large Chinese (especially Cantonese and Teochew ) communities. During the French colonial period , many businesses and wealthy residents in Saigon (particularly in the Chinatown district ) and Haiphong were controlled by protection-racket gangs. With Vietnamese independence in 1945, organized crime activity

4615-481: The tax burden. Unable to build up a support base, he was forced to quickly flee all three cities that he attacked in order to evade government troops. Though he passed through an area inhabited by almost a million peasants, his army never measured more than 4,000 soldiers, many of whom had been forced into service. In 1796, a similar movement arose in the mountainous region that separated Sichuan province from Hubei and Shaanxi provinces in central China, initially as

4686-426: The term "White Lotus" to refer to themselves or their movement. The term was only used by the millenarian rebels under intense pressure during government interrogations. It is only as historical sources look back upon these events do they began to summarize the various aspects of these uprisings as the "White Lotus rebellion." In 1774, one instance of a derivative sect of the White Lotus, the Eight Trigrams arose in

4757-476: The triads were eliminated in the north; in the south, Republic of Vietnam corruption protected their illegal activities and allowed them to control US aid. During the 1970s and 1980s, all illegal Sino-Vietnamese activities were eliminated by the Vietnamese police. Most triads were compelled to flee to Taiwan, Hong Kong, or other countries in Southeast Asia. Triads are also active in other regions with significant overseas-Chinese populations: Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong,

4828-404: The uprising. Surprisingly, the ill-organized rebels managed to defeat the inadequate and inefficient Qing imperial forces. After both died in battle in 1796, the Qing government sent new officials, but none were successful. Only after 1800 did the Qing government adopt new tactics that established local militias ( tuan ) to help surround and destroy the White Lotus. The Qianlong emperor ordered that

4899-445: The word "triad" was coined by British officials in colonial Hong Kong as a reference to the triads' use of triangular imagery. This theory however is highly improbable as the term "Triad" had been used by William Milne to describe secret societies in Southern China as early as 1826, well before the colony was even formed. It has been speculated that triad organizations took after, or were originally part of, militant movements such as

4970-411: Was drastically reduced as Ho Chi Minh 's government purged criminal activity in the country. According to Ho, abolishing crime was a method of protecting Vietnam and its people. During the First Indochina War , Ho's police forces concentrated on protecting people in his zone from crime; the French cooperated with criminal organizations to fight the Viet Minh . In 1955, President Ngô Đình Diệm ordered

5041-419: Was written in 1838. Since then, this book has become an invaluable source because it has enabled scholars to understand the beliefs of these groups. The end of the White Lotus Rebellion in 1804 also brought an end to the myth of the military invincibility of the Manchus, contributing to the increasing frequency of rebellions in the 19th century. The White Lotus continued to be active, and it might have influenced

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