ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the response of the postcolonial state to the unprecedented degree and changing patterns of cross-border crime. The cross-border assassination of businessman Lam Hon-lit by a mainlander in 2002 led to an immediate joint action involving Hong Kong and People’s Republic of China police to pursue the suspected assassin, the mastermind of the incident, and their accomplices. The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department fought against online intellectual property piracy through the mobilization of young people. In response to the cross-border theft of mobile phones by mainlanders, the Hong Kong police work with mobile service providers to heighten their awareness and to enhance cooperation. The Hong Kong police regularly send plainclothes officers to disguise themselves as pedestrians, patrolling the streets to smash cross-border theft syndicates. The involvement of organized crime groups in illegal gambling makes these activities a target for Hong Kong police.
