Federal court denies judicial review for alleged Macau crime kingpin

VANCOUVER – An accused Macau triad boss will not get a judicial review of his immigration case, after a Federal Court judge found there is ample evidence of his ties to criminal activity.

Lai Tong Sang was ordered deported by the Immigration and Refugee Board last August, on the grounds that he was criminally inadmissible to Canada.

His refugee board hearing heard Lai was the “dragon head” of the so-called Water Room gang, who fled a bloody turf war by coming to Canada.

He arrived on a permanent resident visa in October 1996 with his wife and three children, who were not ordered deported.

Following a hearing last month, Federal Court Judge Roger T. Hughes found there was “a wealth of evidence” linking Lai to the triad and its illegal activities.

Though he had permanent resident status, Lai was not in Canada for his hearing last summer but called in from Macau, where he is a citizen.