4 charged over Wan Chai vice setup that hosted national security officer
The presence of Frederic Choi at Viet Spa came to light when local media broke the news in May.
Four suspects attended court on Wednesday for criminal charges related to a vice establishment and an unlicensed massage parlor where Hong Kong police found the director of their national security team in a raid.
The three women and one man, aged between 34 and 61, did not enter a plea during the morning session at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. They comprised two female masseuses, an unemployed Vietnamese woman and a jobless man.
Police conducted three sting operations on Oct. 28 and Nov. 5 last year and March 19 this year at the premises of Viet Spa on Johnston Road in Wan Chai, the court heard. They arrested at least six people the third time round.
During the anti-vice operations, the defendants introduced masseuses to the two undercover police agents and claimed that they could provide sexual services for HK$500 to HK$800 (US$64 to US$103), the court heard. The officers opted for a full-body massage and paid HK$500 each.
The court adjourned the case to July 21 upon the defense’s request and released all the defendants on bail.
It was understood that Frederic Choi, senior assistant commissioner and director of the police’s national security department, was not on the witness list.
The presence of Choi, 51, at Viet Spa came to light when local media broke the news in May, more than a month after the fact. Police absolved Choi of any illegal activities or immoral conduct following an internal investigation by his anti-triad colleagues.
A media investigation report about the third police raid suggested that Choi’s visit to Viet Spa took place during office hours on March 19.
The three women did not enter a plea during the morning session.
The defendant (Left) attended court.
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