Hong Kong police have reportedly detained and questioned former Conservative candidate Joe Tay’s cousin and cousin-in-law, according to new reporting from The Bureau.

The detentions are said to have occurred on Thursday morning in the Fo Tan district of Hong Kong, during which his relatives are believed to have been taken to a police station and interrogated.

According to the Hong Kong Free Press, Tay's cousin and the man's wife were asked to assist police with an investigation involving Tay.

Tay, the former Conservative candidate for Don Valley North, lost to his Liberal opponent Maggie Chi by approximately 5000 votes in the federal election.

Canada's Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force announced on April 21 that Tay was being targeted by a foreign interference operation from China.

According to The Globe and Mail the operation's purpose was "aimed at shifting public opinion among Chinese-speaking Canadians against a Toronto-area Conservative candidate who is a sharp critic of Beijing’s crackdown on civil rights in Hong Kong."

Tay was forced to halt all in-person campaign events during the final week of the election after the RCMP informed him of the credible threats of foreign interference coming from China.

The former Liberal candidate for Markham-Unionville, Paul Chiang, made headlines in March after it was revealed he suggested Tay could be turned over to the Chinese consulate for a cash bounty while speaking to reporters.

Prime Minister Mark Carney shockingly still supported Chiang after the revelation despite the Liberal candidate ultimately 'standing aside' from the candidacy for Markham-Unionville.

Hong Kong police placed the HK $1 million bounty on Tay in December of 2024 over his support for pro-democracy protesters and activism. Authorities accuse Tay of "inciting secession" and "colluding with foreign forces."

While Hong Kong police have not publicly confirmed the detention of Tay's relatives, the move aligns with China's track record of intimidating the family members of foreign dissidents.

Tay has not yet commented publicly on the reports.

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