The Goods of Desire, or G.O.D. store, known for its idiosyncratic and trendy designs drawing on Hong Kong street culture, printed a batch of T-shirts with the Chinese characters for '14K' - the name of one of the former British colony's major triad gangster societies.

The store's founder expressed regret for the controversy and said the '14K' slogan was intended as a reference to gold jewellery, rather than triads.

'A lot of our slogans are playful and humorous but this time, there was a double meaning so we'll be careful with future designs if they are sensitive,' Mr Douglas Young, G.O.D's founder, told Hong Kong?s Cable Television.

'I'm just a businessman and all I want is to sensibly do business. I?m sorry for this big incident,' he added.

Nine men and nine women were arrested and released on Thursday, including Mr Young. No charges have yet been pressed.

Dozens of the T-shirts and more than 500 postcards printed with the '14K' logo were seized from several outlets by police.

'Possessing triad products is a violation of the law and people wearing a shirt with such logos will be arrested,' Hong Kong's Standard newspaper quoted Cheng Fuk-chuen, a police superintendent with the Organised Crime Triad Bureau, as saying.

'Creativity is creativity - that's different. The industry should study the legislation, which clearly states symbols representing or constituting triad symbols are illegal,' Mr Cheng was quoted as saying.

Triad societies have long operated in Hong Kong with a widely reported presence in the entertainment industry and other commercial sectors, as well as enjoying a stranglehold over traditional criminal activities such as drug smuggling, prostitution and protection rackets.

'Triads are still a very nasty thing against law and order in Hong Kong,' said legislator James To, a deputy chairman of the Legislative Council's security panel.

'The 14K is widely recognised and known in Hong Kong as a triad society. I think it's very sensitive and the police are obliged to take action to investigate.' -- REUTERS