Police found the vehicle used by the suspects to escape the scene in Tsuen Wan district in Hong Kong, along with suspected weapons used in the case. Photo: Sceenshot from RTHK

The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) has detained seven local suspects — four men and three women aged 20 to 39, all Hong Kong residents, some with triad backgrounds, in connection with a gold heist worth about HK$7 million ($893,200), at the Hong Kong International Airport on Thursday, chinanews.com.cn reported on Saturday.

At a press conference on Saturday, an official of the HKPF said that a 36-year-old Hong Kong man was ambushed on Thursday after flying in from Indonesia with six gold bars worth about HK$7 million. 

As he reached the airport's car park 3to collect his vehicle, three masked men armed with blades attacked him, slashing him before seizing a backpack containing the bullion and escaping in a waiting vehicle. He was taken to hospital with injuries to his thigh and left arm and is currently in stable condition.

Police received a report around 12:23 am on Thursday. After investigation, the police said the Hong Kong man was employed by a  businessman from Chinese mainland and had been transporting the gold bars back to Hong Kong alone from Indonesia. 

The HKPF revealed that the seven arrested persons include the mastermind, knife-wielding robbers, a getaway driver, the car owner, and others involved in the crime.

The HKPF said the robbery was not random but a premeditated crime, with clear evidence of an insider leak or involvement by someone known to the victim.

The Hong Kong police said it had recovered the getaway vehicle and the knives used in the crime, but the gold bars have not yet been found. The police  believed some suspects have already fled to the Chinese mainland and have requested assistance from Chinese mainland lawenforcement agencies to track them down. 

The manhunt continues and further arrests are possible, according to the report.

Global Times