The Tongs are secret societies and that have origins in a patriotic resistance movement against Manchu rulers who had overthrown the Ming rulers in 1644 and formed the Ching dynasty. After the British arrived in Hong Kong in 1841, the Triads gradually increased in membership. During the 20th Century, some became involved in narcotics trafficking, gambling, and prostitution. Hong Kong currently has about 50 Triads, 15 of which regularly come to the attention of the police. Some have as little as 100 members, while others have up to 33,000 members. Triads continue to be involved in gambling, prostitution, extortion, protection, loansharking, and narcotics. Most Triad activity in Hong Kong is in youth gangs, whose members are ages 12-18, and street gangs, whose members are usually ages 16-25. Hong Kong is a major transit point for drugs into the United States. Triads are thought to be moving control over their criminal enterprises overseas, including the United States, in anticipation of Hong Kong's returning to the control of the People's Republic of China in 1997. The United States now has more than 30 identifiable Tongs. Some Chinese-Vietnamese are in Chinese Tongs. The Tongs are likely to become the feared crime groups of the future in the United States. 36 reference notes