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| ethnic makeup = Predominantly [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]], but also other [[List of ethnic groups in China|Chinese ethnic groups]]<ref>[http://faculty.missouristate.edu/m/MichaelCarlie/Storage/asian_triads.htm Canada's Triad gangs]</ref>
| ethnic makeup = Predominantly [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]], but also other [[List of ethnic groups in China|Chinese ethnic groups]]<ref>[http://faculty.missouristate.edu/m/MichaelCarlie/Storage/asian_triads.htm Canada's Triad gangs]</ref>
| membership est = 20,000<ref>[http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/archives/triads.php The Illuminated Lantern: Triads]</ref>
| membership est = 20,000<ref>[http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/archives/triads.php The Illuminated Lantern: Triads]</ref>
| criminal activities = [[Drug trafficking]], [[arms trafficking]], [[assassination]]s attempts, [[Car bombing]]s, [[contract killing]], [[prostitution]], [[people smuggling]], [[home invasions]], [[money laundering]], [[murder]], [[drive-by shooting]]s, [[extortion]], [[illegal gambling]], [[Kidnapping]], [[loan sharking]], [[fraud]] and [[counterfeiting]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/569620.stm Cracking down on the Triads]</ref>
| criminal activities = [[Drug trafficking]], [[arms trafficking]], [[prostitution]], [[people smuggling]], [[home invasions]], [[money laundering]], [[extortion]], [[illegal gambling]], [[kidnapping]], [[loan sharking]], [[fraud]] and [[counterfeiting]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/569620.stm Cracking down on the Triads]</ref>
| allies = [[Tiandihui]] and [[Snakehead (gang)|Snakeheads]]<ref>[http://www.ipsn.org/asg08107.html A rising threat from the Far East]</ref>
| allies = [[Tiandihui]] and [[Snakehead (gang)|Snakeheads]]<ref>[http://www.ipsn.org/asg08107.html A rising threat from the Far East]</ref>
| rivals = [[Sun Yee On]] and [[Shui Fong]]
| rivals = [[Sun Yee On]] and [[Shui Fong]]
}}
}}


The '''14K''' (十四K) is a [[Triad society|Triad]] group based in [[Hong Kong]] but active internationally. It is the second largest Triad group in the world with around 20,000 members split into thirty subgroups. They are the main rival of the [[Sun Yee On]], which is the largest Triad group.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/leixiaojie/Triads Chinese Triads]</ref> The 14K are responsible for large-scale drug trafficking around the world, most of it [[heroin]] and [[opium]] from China or [[Southeast Asia]]. This is their primary business in terms of generating income, but they are also involved in [[illegal gambling]], [[money laundering]], [[arms trafficking]], [[prostitution]], [[people smuggling]], [[extortion]], [[counterfeit]]ing and, to a lesser extent, [[home invasions|home invasion robberies]].<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/leixiaojie/Triads2 Chinese Triads Part 2]</ref><ref>[http://www.geocities.com/leixiaojie/Triads3 Chinese Triads Part 3]</ref>
The '''14K''' (十四K) is a [[Triad society|Triad]] group based in [[Hong Kong]] but active internationally. It is the second largest Triad group in the world with around 20,000 members split into thirty subgroups. They are the main rival of the [[Sun Yee On]], which is the largest Triad.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/leixiaojie/Triads Chinese Triads]</ref> The 14K are responsible for large-scale drug trafficking around the world, most of it [[heroin]] and [[opium]] from China or [[Southeast Asia]]. This is their primary business in terms of generating income, but they are also involved in [[illegal gambling]], [[money laundering]], [[arms trafficking]], [[prostitution]], [[people smuggling]], [[extortion]], [[counterfeit]]ing and, to a lesser extent, [[home invasions|home invasion robberies]].<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/leixiaojie/Triads2 Chinese Triads Part 2]</ref><ref>[http://www.geocities.com/leixiaojie/Triads3 Chinese Triads Part 3]</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 11:22, 31 August 2009

14K
Founded1945
Founded byKot Siu-wong
Founding locationTaiwan Guangzhou, Guangdong, China[1]
Years active1945-present
TerritoryHong Kong, China, Taiwan, Macau, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe[2]
EthnicityPredominantly Cantonese, but also other Chinese ethnic groups[3]
Membership (est.)20,000[4]
Criminal activitiesDrug trafficking, arms trafficking, prostitution, people smuggling, home invasions, money laundering, extortion, illegal gambling, kidnapping, loan sharking, fraud and counterfeiting[5]
AlliesTiandihui and Snakeheads[6]
RivalsSun Yee On and Shui Fong

The 14K (十四K) is a Triad group based in Hong Kong but active internationally. It is the second largest Triad group in the world with around 20,000 members split into thirty subgroups. They are the main rival of the Sun Yee On, which is the largest Triad.[7] The 14K are responsible for large-scale drug trafficking around the world, most of it heroin and opium from China or Southeast Asia. This is their primary business in terms of generating income, but they are also involved in illegal gambling, money laundering, arms trafficking, prostitution, people smuggling, extortion, counterfeiting and, to a lesser extent, home invasion robberies.[8][9]

History

The 14K was formed by Kuomintang Lieutenant-General Kot Siu-wong in Guangzhou, China in 1945 as an anti-Communist action group. However, they relocated to Hong Kong in 1949 when the Kuomintang fled from the Communists following the Chinese Civil War. Originally there were fourteen members who were part of the Kuomintang, hence the name 14K.[10] However, some say that 14 stands for the road number of a former headquarters and K stands for Kowloon.[11]

During the 1990's, it was the "largest Triad in the world". In 1997, there were a number of gang-related attacks that left 14 people dead. Under Wan Kuok-koi (nicknamed "Broken Tooth Koi", 崩牙駒), the 14K was being challenged by the smaller Shui Fong Triad. The next year, a gunman believed to be connected to the local 14K killed a Portuguese national and wounded another at a sidewalk café in Macau. In 1999, a Portuguese court convicted 45-year-old mob boss Broken Tooth Koi on various criminal charges and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment. His 14K gang was suspected of drive-by shootings, car bombings and attempted assassinations. Seven of his associates received lesser sentences.[12] Since the crackdown in Macau, the 14K triad resurfaced in North American cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago in the United States and Vancouver and Toronto in Canada[13]. In response to the massive publicity generated by Broken Tooth Koi, 14K dramatically lowered its public profile. Meanwhile, loan sharking and money laundering continue to be the primary sources of revenue for 14K in North America.[14]

In August 2008, the 14K were involved in a high-profile kidnapping of a Chinese family in New Zealand. The plan was to demand a ransom, but they were found before the money was paid.[15]

References

  1. ^ 14K Triad at AllExperts
  2. ^ Triads: The facts and details
  3. ^ Canada's Triad gangs
  4. ^ The Illuminated Lantern: Triads
  5. ^ Cracking down on the Triads
  6. ^ A rising threat from the Far East
  7. ^ Chinese Triads
  8. ^ Chinese Triads Part 2
  9. ^ Chinese Triads Part 3
  10. ^ Broken Tooth's 14K
  11. ^ Triads and organized crime in China
  12. ^ Broken Tooth Koi jailed
  13. ^ [http://www.gangresearch.net/ChicagoGangs/tongs/kimarticle4.html The Origin of Asian and Chinese Gangs in Chicago's Chinatown]
  14. ^ 14K: One of the world's largest Triads
  15. ^ Xin Xin's family flee over Triad gang threat
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