- 8 months ago
Presenter Conor Woodman goes undercover in the neon wonderland of Hong Kong and while searching for scams, finds more than he bargained for. Conor uncovers the business of making and selling new antiques, becomes a sugar daddy to a pretty, young woman, and through sheer luck and persistence eventually comes face to face with the notorious Triads, gaining a fascinating insight into their business dealings.
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TVTranscript
00:00They're the world's greatest cities. Famous for their culture and beauty.
00:06But there's something else waiting in the shadows.
00:09The scammers, the hustlers, the thieves.
00:12And they're all looking for tourists to con.
00:15State against the what? Russian roulette. Are you joking me?
00:19I'm Connor Woodman and in Scam City I set myself up as bait.
00:23This is like being kidnapped.
00:25A willing victim to be fleeced.
00:28I'll catch the scammers in the act.
00:30You know where my wallet is. I don't know.
00:31And reveal the tricks of the trade.
00:33Sorry, I'm not talking about that.
00:35Because why? It's too dangerous?
00:36And I'll expose them face to face.
00:39We are filming you scamming me.
00:41Scam City. I get scammed so you don't have to.
00:45I'm in Hong Kong, far off the beaten track, on my way to meet some new friends.
01:02Hong Kong's notorious gangsters, the Triads.
01:06Do you think there's any part of the shopping and the nightlife that isn't controlled in part by Triad gangs like yours?
01:15Hong Kong, a free trade paradise perched on the edge of China, the world's manufacturing powerhouse.
01:35Nearly 50 million tourists visit each year, most of them from mainland China, bringing with them disposable fortunes.
01:46And of course, there's no shortage of locals waiting to help them unload their cash.
01:58Well, two of the main reasons for coming to Hong Kong are the nightlife and the shopping.
02:02And the tourists here spend a lot of cash on both.
02:06And this may have a reputation for being one of the safest cities in the world.
02:09But one thing I know is, wherever you get tourists and cash, you also get scams.
02:17China may be all about newfound wealth, but there's a real appetite for things from the past.
02:24There's a thriving antiques market here.
02:27Hollywood and Cat Street is the centre of this trade.
02:31With cash-rich mainland Chinese in the market, prices are high and business is booming.
02:37But I'm in the market for scams.
02:43Hey.
02:45Can you go this up?
02:46Like this.
02:57That's nice, isn't it?
03:01No feeling of this, no.
03:03This feeling of.
03:05Oh, okay.
03:06One sip.
03:06Yeah, in one sip.
03:08Very old.
03:10This gold.
03:12Gold.
03:13It's gold.
03:14Gold, yeah.
03:18Okay.
03:19Is it very old?
03:20Yeah, very old.
03:22How old?
03:23Thousand.
03:24Thousand years.
03:25Thousand years old.
03:27And these are how old?
03:30These thousand.
03:32Thousand years old.
03:33Yes, I'm old.
03:34Which dynasty?
03:35Which dynasty?
03:35Is that Qing?
03:36No?
03:37No Qing.
03:38It's Tan.
03:39Tan dynasty.
03:40A thousand years old.
03:43Back home, I'd have to go to a museum to find something like this.
03:46Oh, it is for drinking.
03:48Like this.
03:49From Hong Kong or from China?
03:52China.
03:53China.
03:53It's Tan dynasty.
03:55Yeah.
03:56And it's $1,800 Hong Kong.
03:59Yeah.
04:00One?
04:00One, yeah.
04:01Okay.
04:09Well, I've bought an item for about $240, which apparently is from the Tan dynasty.
04:15It's a cup found in mainland China, and that makes it about a thousand years old.
04:19Now, call me suspicious, but something about that doesn't quite ring true.
04:24So my next port of call is going to be someone that can value that for me and tell me whether
04:29that in fact is a genuine article or not.
04:33Hello.
04:46You have some nice stuff.
04:47Can I show you something?
04:48The person that sold it to me told me it was a thousand years old.
04:51Do you think that's a thousand years old?
04:52You bought it in Hong Kong?
04:53Yeah, I bought it in Hong Kong.
04:54Then you ask the shop, who sold it to you, you know?
04:57You're better, you know?
04:58You why?
04:59Because you don't want to get them in trouble?
05:00Yeah.
05:01Well, we need to.
05:03Sometimes between dealers, we have a crash, you know, to try to avoid, right?
05:08Sorry?
05:08Between dealers?
05:09You asked.
05:10You asked.
05:11We showed you.
05:13Where you bought, you know?
05:14And then you back to.
05:15Because you have a crash between dealers?
05:17No, no, we don't.
05:18Yeah.
05:18I'm sorry.
05:19Yeah.
05:21Well, I've been to a couple of places on the Hollywood Road now to get my piece valued,
05:25and I'm not sure whether there's some kind of solidarity among shop owners going on here or what.
05:30But they're all saying that they don't recognise that piece or know what it's worth or how old it is.
05:35I'll have to find another way to check whether I've bought the real deal.
05:44When the sun sets and the neon's turned on, Hong Kong's streets start to feel like a science fiction movie set.
05:51All the actors are out playing their part on this beautiful illuminated stage.
06:02I hit a street cafe for a front row seat.
06:11I hit a street cafe for a front row seat.
06:32The wonton noodles are good.
06:42Salty.
06:43You're from Hong Kong?
06:44First time.
06:45First time in Hong Kong?
06:46Yeah.
06:47Where are you from?
06:48Me?
06:49Thailand.
06:49Thailand?
06:50Yeah.
06:50We're in Thailand.
06:51Bangkok?
06:51Yeah.
06:52Here, Bangkok.
06:52Bangkok.
06:53What's your name?
06:55Connor.
06:55Connor.
06:55I'm with you.
06:57Kiki.
06:58Hi, Kiki.
06:59How are you?
06:59You and me go for something for me?
07:02For a drink?
07:03Yeah.
07:03Yeah, why not?
07:05That's a blatant pick-up, and I'm big enough and old enough to know she's after something.
07:11But what?
07:14Let's go in this one.
07:16Cheers, Kiki.
07:18Nice to meet you.
07:20How old are you, Kiki?
07:22Me?
07:2235.
07:2335?
07:24Yeah.
07:24Lady boys are pretty common in Bangkok, but I didn't expect to meet one here in Hong Kong.
07:30She'll have some tricks up those silky sleeves.
07:33Tomorrow, eating and shopping, okay?
07:35Eating and shopping.
07:36Yeah.
07:36I guess that's what you do here.
07:38Cheers.
07:42Yeah, I've been to Bangkok a couple of times.
07:45White.
07:46One bar leads to another, as she works me out.
07:51Can we have a bottle of the Pinot Grigio, please?
07:53Yeah.
07:54Do you like a dance?
07:56The dance?
07:57Yeah, yeah.
07:58I have to be drunk to dance.
08:01Let me go to the toilet.
08:02Okay.
08:06My first thought about this girl was that she's some kind of black widow.
08:12So I've just texted the crew, and they've replied to say that she hasn't gone anywhere near my drink,
08:18which means that she isn't.
08:20And that makes me even more confused.
08:22What is she up to?
08:24Tonight, I am your boyfriend.
08:41It's moving quite quickly.
08:44I don't know.
08:45Yeah, we already just met.
08:50Let's go.
08:50Let's go.
08:59Can I go for one more now?
09:01How much?
09:01Uh, $700?
09:03$700?
09:03$700?
09:03$700?
09:04You and me, okay?
09:05You want that one?
09:06You and me?
09:07Okay, yeah, you buy that one.
09:08You buy that one, I'll buy that one for me.
09:09How about you, okay?
09:11$100?
09:12$100?
09:13$100?
09:14No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
09:17All right, darling.
09:18Call me.
09:19Okay, then you can be for $60,000.
09:21For what?
09:22$60,000.
09:23Taxi?
09:24Yeah.
09:24How much?
09:25$100,000.
09:26For a taxi?
09:27Yeah.
09:28Where do you live?
09:28China?
09:29No, no, no.
09:30$100,000 is good.
09:32Okay.
09:32Let's see you.
09:33She's had a $13 taxi ride and a few drinks, but she's got my number and she'll be back.
10:03This place is like the perfect designer city.
10:12Everyone gets what they want.
10:14Bargain shopping and friendly locals.
10:18The views are spectacular.
10:21It's difficult not to be seduced here.
10:28Last night I had an idea about my Chinese antique.
10:32What if I tell them it's not from a local dealer?
10:39Sorry, can I ask you advice?
10:40I bought something when I was in mainland China and I'm just wondering before I...
10:44New.
10:45Sorry?
10:46Copy.
10:47It's a copy.
10:48It's a copy?
10:49It's not real?
10:50No.
10:51New.
10:52New one?
10:53New.
10:54For sure.
10:55Okay.
10:56So it's not a thousand years old?
10:57No.
10:58If this one is original, it costs more than a million Hong Kong.
11:01So it might be a fake.
11:05Let's get a second opinion.
11:07Hey, hi.
11:08How are you doing?
11:09Yeah, I can help you.
11:10Can I show you a piece of bronze and maybe you can tell me I'm...
11:12Could you tell...
11:13You want to see it's real or...
11:15Yeah.
11:16Oh, it's not very old.
11:18It's new.
11:19It's new?
11:20I can teach you to see it.
11:21Oh.
11:22Can you see the new bronze?
11:23The color.
11:24New...
11:25All right.
11:26Okay.
11:27It comes up on the corners.
11:28It's the new.
11:29So how do they make it...
11:30How do they make this bit look older?
11:31They put a chemical or something?
11:32Maybe...
11:33Many ways.
11:34I don't know how to tell it in English, but it's...
11:36It's very...
11:37Now the people are very easy to do it.
11:39They will make fake pieces to sell it.
11:42So this piece is new.
11:44Right.
11:45Okay.
11:46Not a thousand years old.
11:47Yeah.
11:48No, no, no, no.
11:49Definitely.
11:50Well, telling people this was from mainland China seemed to do the trick.
11:53They were a lot happier to tell me the truth about this.
11:56And the truth is, it's not a thousand years old.
11:59Because if it was, it would be worth a hundred thousand US dollars.
12:03If you take a closer look, you can see that there is new brass on the end of the feet.
12:10And that's because they've made it look older on the rest of it.
12:14Now that I know all that, I think I've got the information I need to go back to the shop.
12:19See what they have to say for themselves.
12:21Hello.
12:22Hello.
12:23The piece that I bought.
12:25I've just been to speak to a few other experts in the area and they showed me.
12:30See the new brass?
12:32This is a classic sign of a copy.
12:34Because the chemical...
12:35The chemical...
12:36I don't know what it is.
12:37This is the chemical.
12:38The chemical.
12:39The chemical.
12:40The chemical.
12:41The chemical.
12:42The chemical.
12:43Come on.
12:44Let's be honest.
12:45I don't want my money back.
12:46I'm not here to have an argument about it.
12:48It's fine.
12:49But you know and I know that this was made in a factory in China probably in the last couple
12:55of months.
12:56She's on the back foot and she calls in the boss.
12:59The chemical.
13:00The chemical.
13:01The chemical.
13:02The chemical.
13:03That is not copied.
13:04When do you think that was made?
13:05This was made?
13:06About a thousand years back.
13:07I can check the date for you.
13:08Check the date?
13:09Yeah.
13:10That would be interesting.
13:11Because all the experts that I spoke to up on the Hollywood Road they all say it's made
13:14in the last year.
13:15What they also said on the Hollywood Road is that if that really was a thousand years old
13:19it would be worth tens of thousands of US dollars.
13:21Maybe even a hundred thousand US dollars.
13:22Can't be.
13:23The reason is.
13:24Yours is fake.
13:25No.
13:26The reason is we pay cheaper rent and they pay higher rent.
13:29And if this is really a thousand years old I can sell for $10,000.
13:42If it's made in a factory in China I can sell it to a tourist for $250 and make a quick profit.
13:48Isn't that what's happening here?
13:50Even a fake one you have to sell for $230.
13:54So it is a fake one you sell it for $230.
13:57Now we're getting somewhere.
13:59It doesn't matter if it's fake or real.
14:02It matters to me.
14:03The matter is the item.
14:05It matters to me whether it's real or fake.
14:07If you tell me it's a thousand years old I want it to be a thousand years old.
14:10I don't want it to be one year old.
14:12So what can I say?
14:13When I was 20 when I joined this line my boss tell me one thing.
14:18The customer always right.
14:21You can never argue with a customer.
14:24So customer always right.
14:26OK.
14:27So this customer says.
14:28Yes.
14:29You think it is fake.
14:31OK.
14:32That is fake.
14:33You think it is real one.
14:34That is real one.
14:35So you are always right.
14:37This is a whole new retail philosophy to me.
14:41He didn't sell me an antique.
14:43He sold me a story.
14:45Now comes the nitty gritty.
14:47OK.
14:48I say you paid about maybe five bucks for that.
14:50Well maybe even less.
14:51Up to your knowledge.
14:54Maybe even less.
14:56Go on.
14:57Tell me and I'll go.
14:59If I buy a hundred pieces will be cheaper than you.
15:02Yeah.
15:03You buy only one piece.
15:04You pay five dollars.
15:05I buy a hundred pieces.
15:06Maybe I pay fifty cents for the same material.
15:09Really?
15:10So you could buy a hundred of those for fifty bucks.
15:12I mean.
15:13Up to your theories.
15:16I'm not about my theory.
15:18I want to know the truth.
15:19That's all.
15:20The truth is that.
15:21That's the truth.
15:22You could buy a hundred of those for fifty dollars.
15:24No.
15:25I cannot.
15:26I pay a hundred ten.
15:27Oh.
15:28It's come down.
15:29It's coming down.
15:30No.
15:31I'm talking about a hundred pieces.
15:32But then how could you buy a hundred pieces of that?
15:34Unless it was a fake.
15:35According to your point of view.
15:37Hmm.
15:38My point of view is that you'd be lucky to find a hundred thousand year old fakes.
15:43Too lucky.
15:44He's starting to go round in circles.
15:47Did you ever hear of a factory in China that just makes these?
15:50Maybe makes hundreds of them?
15:52Maybe thousands.
15:53Maybe thousands.
15:54A hundred.
15:55They can recover.
15:56Copy this means you've got to make a mold first.
16:00Make a mold.
16:01You've got to make a mold first.
16:02Yeah.
16:03And the mold costs you more than the profit.
16:08That means you have to make at least ten thousand to cover your cost of the mold.
16:13You think they made ten thousand of those?
16:15At least.
16:16If.
16:17Copy.
16:18Tell me where you get these from?
16:19Mainland.
16:20Mainland?
16:21Only mainland can be that cheap.
16:23Because the mainland have nothing to pay for their labor.
16:26Yeah.
16:27Wherever.
16:28Whatever.
16:29However.
16:30Money comes.
16:31Trick comes.
16:32Black milk.
16:34Gangster.
16:35Everything.
16:36What they fight for.
16:37Money.
16:38He ushers me out of his shop.
16:40The truth is, it is really bought in mainland.
16:45The truth is, it was made a month and a half before.
16:55A month and a half before.
16:57Yes.
16:58Not yesterday.
16:59He took the buyer is always right principle to a whole new extreme.
17:06I wanted facts about the fake antique business and he tried to bamboozle me with relative theories
17:12of truth.
17:14But whichever way you look at it, it was all about money.
17:21Everybody is fighting over the money, including gangsters.
17:29The antique dealer's confession makes me wonder, who are the people making dirty money in this boom town?
17:50I'm still trying to get under the skin of what's going on in this town.
17:57So I've agreed to meet a guy who's done a bit of time in prison here.
18:00He said he'll take me on a tour of the neighborhood.
18:05Hi.
18:06Connor.
18:07How are you?
18:08Yeah, I'm fine.
18:09Nice to meet you.
18:10You too.
18:11Nice to meet you.
18:12Yeah.
18:13Okay.
18:14Let's have a walk and talk.
18:15Sounds good.
18:16Great.
18:17Let's go.
18:18I used to be a policeman working in this area.
18:19Forty years ago.
18:20Wow.
18:21Okay.
18:22How do you go from being a policeman to becoming a pastor?
18:24Now, well, when I was a policeman five years here, at that time there was a lot of corruption,
18:30gambling or prostitution or gangs activity.
18:33In this area?
18:34Yeah, I was involved in part of the activity as well, as a policeman.
18:37You were involved in legal activities?
18:39Yeah.
18:40Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:41And after five years in the police force, I was arrested and put in jail as well, yeah.
18:46You were put in jail?
18:47Yeah, yeah, because of the corruption.
18:48How long were you in jail for?
18:49Two years.
18:50Wow.
18:51And after that, I would become a Christian when I was in a drug rehabilitation centre.
18:56Okay.
18:57So you were using drugs yourself?
18:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:59Or heroin, yeah.
19:00So I was involved in drug trafficking in this area too.
19:04A former bent cop who dealt drugs and took them too.
19:09Just the kind of guy I need to take me behind the neon curtain.
19:14Do you still come into contact with a lot of those people?
19:17Yeah.
19:18My church is a lot of these kinds of people.
19:19Most of them from the gangster background.
19:22Now we're going to this part.
19:24It's the central part of the Red Knight District, Temple Street.
19:28So here is more gang activity and prostitution.
19:32Okay.
19:33So we might be a little bit careful.
19:36Be a bit careful?
19:37Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:38Okay.
19:39This is a low cost prostitution here.
19:43Yeah.
19:44Yeah.
19:45It's a girl.
19:46Hiding her face.
19:47Yeah, yeah.
19:48That's why he...
19:49Yeah.
19:50My left hand side is the gangster.
19:52My left hand side is the gangster.
19:54They are protecting this kind of girl.
19:56Yeah.
19:57Right.
19:58Yeah.
20:00So the guy's there that we just walked past?
20:02Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:03Okay.
20:04The girl is hiding her face.
20:06Gangsters hidden in plain sight.
20:08If the pastor hadn't pointed them out, I'd never have known.
20:12They only allow one house, one prostitute.
20:17Yeah?
20:18Okay, so if there's one prostitute in one house, that's okay.
20:21Yeah, that's okay.
20:22Yeah.
20:23They speak Mandarin from mainland China.
20:30They come here, want to get some fast money.
20:33How much money?
20:35Yeah.
20:36I에서도 where?
20:37A hundred hundred hundred hundred 三八八八八八八十.
20:39So it's 138.
20:40Yes.
20:41The massage?
20:42directamente $138.
20:43For 50 minutes.
20:44Yes.
20:45Is it really massage or is it something else?
20:47You might need the young person for exams.
20:50Yes, yes, sure.
20:52For how much?
20:54How much?
20:55For 300.
20:56OK, for 300 musculpation.
21:01300 Hong Kong dollars?
21:02Yeah, 200 Hong Kong dollars.
21:05They say that it's cheap for you.
21:07Normally, we charge the tourists 400, 500 dollars.
21:11Why is it cheaper for me?
21:12Handsome bar, you're handsome bar.
21:14Handsome bar, so charge you a cheaper discount.
21:19Another sales pitch, this time complete with flattery and a discount.
21:25They only do the massage and masturbation.
21:29But if you want to do the real stuff,
21:31sexual intercourse,
21:33then you have to go to other places.
21:35Wow, you're in the background?
21:36Yeah.
21:37Hey, that's the one in the background.
21:40No, no.
21:41That's not the one. I don't like it.
21:43No.
21:44So the camera.
21:45Yeah.
21:46Maybe this girl tells us,
21:48where do we have to go to get full sex?
21:50Yeah.
21:51I don't know.
21:52I don't know.
21:53I won't tell you.
21:54It's because of us,
21:55we're doing business.
21:56You can't find it.
21:57Even though I know,
21:59but I will not tell you the business
22:01because we have competition.
22:03Let's go.
22:04Let's go.
22:05Let's go.
22:06Okay.
22:07She said that I will find a good lady for you.
22:09That's full sex.
22:10Full sex.
22:11Will she be a mainland Chinese girl?
22:13Yeah.
22:14Yeah, yeah.
22:15She said yes.
22:16How long have you been in Hong Kong?
22:17One year.
22:18One year.
22:19One year.
22:20You like it?
22:21You don't like it?
22:22I don't like it.
22:23Hong Kong is the place you earn money,
22:27not the place for living.
22:29Better than working in a factory in China?
22:32Yeah.
22:33Yeah.
22:34It's legal to be a prostitute in Hong Kong.
22:40A lot of cameramen here.
22:50What are you guys filming today?
22:52Yes.
22:53Where are the police inside?
22:55There.
22:56Police are inside there?
22:57Yeah.
22:58The police are doing a raid here or something?
22:59Yes.
23:00Oh, are you journalists?
23:01Yeah.
23:02A man is taken away.
23:04His identity kept secret.
23:10I think they are undercover police.
23:16What are they saying?
23:17Are you guys undercover policemen?
23:22Hmm?
23:23You're undercover?
23:24I can tell you.
23:25Well, you don't have a uniform on, so I'm guessing you're undercover.
23:29It's a pornography DVD.
23:32Pornography DVDs?
23:33Yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:34Pornography is illegal.
23:35Yeah, they have four stages.
23:36This is called stage four.
23:38Stage four is with the sexual intercourse.
23:41So prostitution is legal, but pornography is illegal.
23:46Porn, pimps, and gangsters.
23:54There's dirty money being made here, but who's controlling it?
24:04And would you say most of the gangsters are old Hong Kong families, or have they come in from mainland China?
24:10No, basically it's from Hong Kong.
24:14So it's still very much controlled by Hong Kong gangs.
24:18Triads?
24:19Yeah, yeah, the triads.
24:22So what would be the best way, if I wanted to meet those kind of people, what would be the best way for me to do that, do you think?
24:31Well, it's not easy in front of the camera.
24:35You have to use secret cameras?
24:37Yeah, even the secret cameras, they are very smart, the gangsters. They are very smart.
24:44I can call you, and if you bump into any of those guys, or you think of anyone else who might be interesting for me to meet, that would be fantastic.
24:55The triads are an ancient Chinese crime syndicate.
24:59Their criminal activities are shrouded in secrecy, so it's not going to be easy to meet them.
25:04They don't have a Facebook page.
25:07It's morning, and I've got a date with my new best friend, Kiki, and guess what she wants to do? Shopping.
25:31Hey, how are you?
25:32How are you?
25:33You good?
25:34Yeah, are you okay?
25:35Yeah, good, yeah.
25:36What are you looking for today?
25:37Me?
25:38Yeah.
25:39Did you spend a lot of money on makeup?
25:40Yeah.
25:41For me?
25:42What color do I think suits you?
25:43Yeah.
25:44I don't know if that one suits you, I guess.
25:45Probably this one.
25:46You think I need some?
25:47Nice, cheap, cheap.
25:48Oh, you're buying loads.
25:49Yeah.
25:50You're buying loads.
25:51Yeah.
25:52You're a meat space?
25:53Yeah.
25:54Yeah.
25:55But am I lending you the money?
25:57$1,550?
25:58Yeah.
25:59Wow, that's a lot.
26:00You need all this?
26:01Yeah.
26:02Thank you, Danny.
26:03Wow.
26:04I just bought you a lot of makeup.
26:06Why don't you try it on?
26:07Yeah, try it on.
26:08You're a meat space.
26:09Yeah.
26:10But am I lending you the money?
26:11Or are you...
26:12Oh, Danny.
26:13$1,550.
26:14Yeah.
26:15Hong Kong.
26:16Wow, that's a lot.
26:17You need all this?
26:19Yeah.
26:20Okay, Danny.
26:21Wow.
26:22I just bought you a lot of makeup.
26:25Why don't you try it on?
26:29I'll try it on.
26:31Yeah, try it on.
26:32I'll try it on.
26:33I've bought you a lot of makeup.
26:35I've already spent over $200 on makeup for her,
26:38and now she's trying on a dress,
26:39which I'm pretty sure she wants me to buy for her as well.
26:41I've got no idea what's going on
26:44and what I'm supposed to be getting out of this experience.
26:48Is it really as simple as just buying stuff for her?
26:51Or is there a longer game where I could lose a lot more?
26:55You like it?
26:56Yeah?
26:57$300, yeah.
27:00When are you going to wear that in Hong Kong?
27:04Like that?
27:05Like that?
27:06Like that?
27:07Like that?
27:09Now, are you going to buy me a present?
27:11Uh-huh.
27:12You buy me a present now?
27:13Would I buy Tommy?
27:14You want to buy me a Tommy Hilfiger top?
27:16I'll buy for you.
27:18Okay, then buy it.
27:19Buy a bag.
27:20Yeah.
27:21Yeah.
27:22Where?
27:23Coach.
27:24Small bag from Coach.
27:26Which one?
27:27You like that one?
27:28Yeah.
27:29Yeah, that's nice, isn't it?
27:30Yeah.
27:31How much is it?
27:32Yeah, okay.
27:33$1250.
27:34Yeah, that's cool.
27:35For me?
27:36I'm sorry, honey.
27:37I just don't have the cash.
27:39You've spent all of my money.
27:41I don't have any more money, look.
27:43For me.
27:44Come on.
27:45Out.
27:46For me?
27:47I don't have two bags.
27:48No two, no bag.
27:49You don't have a bag.
27:50Alright, well we'll go bagless.
27:51Yeah, I get it for you.
27:52Yes.
27:53Totally.
27:54Okay, alright.
27:55Keep it, keep it.
27:56Well, if you include the money I spent last night with the dress and the enormous bag of makeup
28:06I just bought then, the total amount of money she's taken from me is north of about $400,
28:11but I've got a feeling that's only the beginning, she's going to take me for a lot more.
28:24I'm on my way to Mong Kok, the most densely populated place on the planet.
28:34The heartland of Hong Kong's triads and a centre for the region's counterfeit goods and electronic markets.
28:41I get the feeling that everyone down here is trying to hustle a buck.
28:46Hello.
28:49Buddhist, you're a Buddhist monk.
28:51Oh.
29:10Oh, you're from China?
29:16Come on then, I can do with some luck to be honest in this town.
29:21This is for luck?
29:25And how much does that cost?
29:36Finally, I found something that's not for sale.
29:40I'll just give you a donation.
29:42$20?
29:44Yeah?
29:46No, no, no, no, no.
29:48In Hong Kong, don't pay anything to them.
29:51In Hong Kong, it's illegal.
29:53Are you police?
29:54I can tell you.
29:56Why can't you tell me?
29:57Protect you.
29:58Protect the people in Hong Kong, you know?
30:00You protect the people?
30:01Yes, sir.
30:04Are you secret police?
30:05No, no, no.
30:06Don't say that.
30:07Don't say that.
30:08Don't say your secret police?
30:09No, no, no.
30:10Don't say that.
30:11Very special.
30:12Do your special secret police.
30:15Where are you coming from?
30:16Are you carrying a gun?
30:17No, no need that.
30:18You don't need it?
30:20Touch my arm.
30:21Don't touch your arm.
30:22Yes, you see?
30:23Wow.
30:24It's OK.
30:25Go ahead.
30:27Yeah, thank you.
30:28You're like Hong Kong Batman.
30:30He's like someone from a Hong Kong movie.
30:33But it's hard to tell whether he's a cop or a gangster.
30:36One thing's for sure.
30:37He's rattled the monk.
30:42Who's that guy?
30:43You know him?
30:44Who is?
30:45What a strange guy.
30:46Are you a holy man?
30:47You're not really a monk, are you?
30:49I'm a technology person.
30:50I'm a business owner.
30:51I'm a business owner.
30:54Because I am a business owner.
30:57I always do business owner.
30:59I have work at the быстро.
31:02This is not a business owner, it's a hack.
31:04How much more do you make in Hong Kong than you would make in China?
31:08On a daily basis, I don't think there's another day.
31:13A day? Wow, so it's worth being here.
31:32As he explains his life story, a passer-by signals to me.
31:37You don't think he's a real monk?
31:40You don't think he's a real monk?
31:42Not a real monk?
31:44He's greedy, I think.
31:46He's greedy?
31:48No, he's going to make a run for it. Okay, thank you.
31:54He knows you busted him.
31:57But in the end, it amounts to the same thing.
32:00Monks aren't allowed to beg on the streets of Hong Kong.
32:04And maybe that's what the warning was about.
32:07Nothing goes unnoticed here.
32:10Then I receive a text from her contact.
32:27She's set up a meeting with a Triad gang member.
32:30member. He'll meet me in a bar overlooking the harbour.
32:4145 minutes is a long time to enjoy the view, either I'm being wound up or stood up.
33:00I'm sure Kiki is trying to get me on an advanced sugar daddy scam. I'm already in for a few
33:23hundred dollars, but I see that as a down payment on unlocking the secrets of what she's really
33:28up to.
33:32Hey, hello. Beautiful, isn't it? Come in, sit down. How are you?
33:39Hi, Kiki.
33:41Are you well? Yeah.
33:46Do you like the dress? Yeah, not too. Not them too, not them back.
33:52Kiki looks great, but she's not exactly my type. A bit demanding.
33:59I like you. I like you too much hair.
34:06You like my hairy arms and my hairy chest.
34:10Kiss me? Kiss me. Kiss you? Yeah. No, I think that might give you the wrong message. Cheers.
34:19Champagne? Champagne. We order champagne. Yeah. I pay, right? Yeah. Good man, you pay, you know? Good man, you don't pay.
34:31If she wants me to fall for her, she's going the wrong way about it. It's hot, and my patience is wearing thin.
34:40So what is this? This? What is happening here?
34:44Sorry, you don't buy me two, but I have no bags.
34:47I didn't buy you shoes or a bag.
34:50You pay me money.
34:51But why am I paying at all?
34:53I am...
34:54I can do...
34:55You're my friend? Yeah.
34:57No, but friends don't... friends buy each other drinks.
35:00Friends buy each other presents.
35:03You're not married? I'm not married, no.
35:05Yeah. Tonight you'll buy a friend for me, but okay, okay.
35:08I don't think so. I don't think that's what happened.
35:11But you'll buy a friend for me.
35:12I'm not your boyfriend.
35:14Yeah.
35:16For me, yeah?
35:18Um, is this your job? That you phone people and then you ask them for money?
35:22Is it that simple? It's a lot of effort for a handbag and a few drinks.
35:27You know, tonight you cannot boyfriend for me?
35:30Tonight I cannot be boyfriend for you, no.
35:33You boyfriend for me?
35:34No.
35:35No?
35:36No.
35:37Yeah.
35:38Finish. You don't pay me money, eh? Finish.
35:42How much money do you want?
35:44One million.
35:45So there it is. She wants 130,000 US dollars to pay for an amicable separation.
35:53And what happens if I say no, I'm not paying?
35:56Tonight I call you a hotel today.
35:58You call at my hotel?
36:00No.
36:01You don't give me money tonight, me call you hotel today.
36:05So it's a blackmail sting.
36:07I pay up or I get embarrassed at my hotel by a ladyboy.
36:12Nice.
36:15Well, I don't know why I have to pay you money.
36:17One million.
36:18Give me money.
36:19You're not?
36:20No, no.
36:21Give me money.
36:22I'm not going to give you money.
36:23I'm not going to give you money, Kiki, because you don't believe any of this.
36:26No, no.
36:27You're not really a girl.
36:28This is all just a load of deceit and nonsense.
36:33Time to come clean.
36:35You know there are people following us.
36:37You know there are people with cameras.
36:38I've spotted the people walking around with cameras.
36:41Hello?
36:42The tables are turned.
36:48Kiki isn't happy.
36:50I'll be here.
36:51I'll be here.
37:01It takes a bit of persuasion, but finally Kiki agrees with the help of a translator to reveal her techniques as a transvestite blackmailer.
37:11How do you go about finding a tourist to pick up?
37:29But is it important that they look rich?
37:32Look like a rich man?
37:34Yeah.
37:35If they look rich, they don't like it.
37:36They don't like it.
37:37They don't like it.
37:38They don't like it.
37:39They don't like it.
37:40They don't like it.
37:41And do most guys recognize that you're a transsexual?
37:44How much money do you think you make from this?
37:56When we were going to break, you wanted me to give you money to break up.
38:01Yeah.
38:02You and me.
38:03You and me finish.
38:04You don't give me money because I'm ready.
38:05You're a man.
38:06And do people give you money when you break up with them?
38:09Yeah.
38:10And how much money can you make from it?
38:12How much money?
38:20But did anyone ever give you money for separation after they just had sex with you?
38:24How much money?
38:32How much money?
38:52Is it a valuable ring?
38:53I have 4-7,000-8,000-9,000-9,000-9,000-9,000-9,000
38:59And is that the most you ever got from one guy?
39:02No, I have a lot of money. I have a lot of money.
39:05I have a lot of money.
39:11I started out thinking she was a black widow
39:14and then thought she was looking for a sugar daddy.
39:18But once you stop handing out the sweets
39:21she turns into an extortionist.
39:24It's been bugging me what's been going on here for the last couple of days,
39:27but now I can see what's actually happening is quite a sinister scam
39:31and it's not light-hearted or at all fun
39:34because what she's trying to do
39:36is to get you to feel like you're in some kind of relationship
39:39and if that's potentially embarrassing to you,
39:41then she's got you exactly where she wants you
39:44because she can then get you to pay her to leave you alone.
39:51I've seen things in Hong Kong that most visitors never see.
40:21I've had a glimpse into its underworld,
40:24but I'm still no closer to finding out who pulls the strings.
40:31The triad trail has gone cold.
40:34I didn't pass my rooftop audition, or did I?
40:38It's my last day in the city when I get another call from the triads.
40:47They want to meet.
40:48The location? A karaoke bar.
40:5140 minutes drive away, close to the Chinese border.
40:55I've been stood up by these guys before, but I'm still on edge.
41:04The triads are one of the most feared crime syndicates in the world.
41:08The karaoke bar is deserted.
41:18We roll the cameras and I walk through the endless maze of soundproof booths,
41:23looking for triad members.
41:26The gang will only talk when they're ready and on their terms.
41:42Did you grow up in Hong Kong?
41:47Yes.
41:48When did you start getting involved in criminal activities?
41:52We started to go out in the middle school.
41:59Where do you sit in the hierarchy of your triad gang?
42:04We are in the middle school.
42:07And how does one reach the top?
42:10These are the internal issues.
42:13There are some internal issues.
42:15And what kind of criminal activities are your triad gang involved in?
42:29How do you profit directly from those activities?
42:44It's usually in a group to control themselves.
42:48When they control themselves,
42:50when they're in the parking lot,
42:53they usually use the protection fee.
42:56So how does it work now with mainland China in the business?
43:00In the United States,
43:01our company is going to be able to sell them.
43:05We will sell them to sell them.
43:07We will sell them to sell them.
43:09When they come to the top 50 customers,
43:12they have to sell them to sell them.
43:14So they have to sell them to sell them to sell them.
43:18And with all of them,
43:19they will pay off them,
43:20and then they will pay off them.
43:22They normally pay to sell them.
43:24We make money for about half the $1,000.
43:28They usually pay for $500 to sell them to the company.
43:30They usually pay $500 in the company to sell them to sell them.
43:32But how much would a good girl earn for you in a week?
43:47Are you involved in other activities such as counterfeit goods?
44:02I mean, do you think there's any part of the shopping and the nightlife
44:18that isn't controlled in part by triad gangs like yours?
44:23Most of the time, there are people who are involved.
44:26If you say no, you're wrong.
44:28You come across as being very business-like and calm.
44:32And I'm wondering, are there times when people step out of line
44:36and there has to be another side to you?
44:38I've gone to the left side to work.
44:43I'm only doing online work.
44:46I usually don't need to do online work.
44:52I don't need to be so angry.
44:55I can find money.
44:57That's not a problem.
44:59But what about the rest of your gang?
45:01They're doing it.
45:03They're doing it.
45:04They're doing it.
45:05They're doing it.
45:06They're doing it.
45:07They're doing it.
45:09And if you don't want to go out of line,
45:11they're all fine.
45:13It just sounds to me like organized crime here
45:16is just another part of Hong Kong PLC.
45:19What is it that makes Hong Kong so good at organized crime?
45:31Actually, Hong Kong is not a big deal.
45:34The people of the community are people.
45:37They're all together.
45:38They're all together.
45:39They're all together.
45:40If they're not for their benefit to compete,
45:44you can find them.
45:46I can find them.
45:47I can find them.
45:48I can find them.
45:49Thank you very much.
45:50There you have it.
46:01The scams on the streets of Hong Kong
46:03are being run by the triads like a well-oiled machine.
46:06It's all about the money.
46:08And nobody here wants to be the person
46:10that draws attention to that.
46:11Much better that everyone just quietly gets on
46:14with the business of making money.
46:27It's extraordinary that the notorious triads
46:29agreed to talk to me.
46:31But it almost felt like a PR exercise.
46:34Just another multinational corporation promoting itself.
46:41Hong Kong is a glittering marketplace.
46:44A shopper's paradise.
46:46Where everyone gets what they want.
46:48Especially the person selling it.
46:51The problem.
46:52It'sت every weekend.
46:53What has anybody calibrated?
46:54Thelichen
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