Lee Tai-lung was hit by the car as he stepped out of his silver Mercedes-Benz in the car park of the luxury hotel at 4am on Tuesday morning. "Another vehicle then arrived, several men got out and attacked the man with knives," said a police spokesman.

The 41-year-old was a senior enforcer of the Sun Yee On, or New Righteousness and Peace Commercial and Industrial Guild, Hong Kong's leading triad group. His attackers fled the scene immediately and the police are currently searching for at least five suspects. Two burnt out cars, which the police believe were used in the murder, were found later.

Lee suffered "serious chop wounds to his arms" and died two hours later at Queen Elizabeth hospital.

In the wake of the attack, around 40 men appeared outside the hotel on Tuesday night, calling out "Come back dai lo (big brother)", according to the South China Morning Post.

Sun Yee On is thought to have around 25,000 members and may be active in Europe and the UK, as well as in Hong Kong and southern China.