The suspects – two men and three women aged between 30 and 59 – were arrested following searches on two shops in Mong Kok on Wednesday. Authorities also seized a batch of seditious books.
The arrestees, who are being detained for further investigation, are suspected of contravening the offence of “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention” under Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
Police say they had launched an investigation after receiving a referral from the Customs and Excise Department that a batch of books with seditious intention was intercepted inside a consignment shipped to Hong Kong from overseas.
In a statement, the force reminded members of the public that “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention” is a serious offence and urged people not to defy the law. Violators face a prison term of up to seven years upon first conviction.
