Hong Kong immigration officers have arrested two residents suspected of being core members of a cross-border sham marriage syndicate that generated more than HK$7.5 million (US$964,823) in illicit earnings, following a joint operation with mainland Chinese law enforcement agencies.

Chief immigration officer Tang Wai-yip said on Monday that the department apprehended a 43-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman after searching two residential flats, suspecting the pair to be the syndicate’s masterminds.

The latest arrests brought the total number of people detained by the department in connection with the case to 37. The detainees were aged 20 to 65 and comprised 18 men and 19 women. Thirty-two were residents and five were non-local.

“After an intelligence analysis and in-depth investigation, both sides identified a sham marriage syndicate led by the arrested individuals,” Tang said.

Meanwhile, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department’s exit and entry administration bureau arrested two key members and 80 mainland residents suspected of involvement in sham marriages.

“The syndicate used e-commerce platforms and messaging apps to recruit Hong Kong residents to engage in sham marriages with non-local residents for profit,” Tang said.