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The three Police Inspectorate Officers continue to assist the Argentinian counterparts to investigate the case in which two women were allegedly unlawfully detained in Argentina and they have already met with the women concerned.
Police received two reports on February 20 and 21 respectively that a 17-year-old woman and an 18-year-old woman were unlawfully detained in Argentina and requested assistance from Police. Police are very concerned about the case and deployed three officers to Buenos Aires on February 23. The two women later contacted the local Chinese Embassy on their own and are currently assisting Argentinian Police with the enquiries into their detention.
Hong Kong Police officers have also met with the two women upon arrival. The two women claimed that they were contacted through a social media network and induced into transporting a suspected antique vase and a painting from Hong Kong to South America. They departed Hong Kong with a 19-year-old man on February 6. After they arrived at Buenos Aires and discovered the vase had been damaged, they were detained but were subsequently released.
Two of the Hong Kong Police officers will stay behind to assist the Argentinian counterparts to investigate the case. The third officer and the two women are expected to depart for Hong Kong this Thursday the earliest to assist Police enquiries here.
Investigation by Regional Crime Unit of New Territories North is on-going. Police have arrested a 17-year-old woman suspected of "Handling Stolen Goods" in Sheung Shui District on February 22. She was released on bail and is required to report to Police in mid-March.
Police report no. 260
Ends/Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Issued at HKT 20:09
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