Hong Kong national security police arrested bookstore owner Pong Yat-ming and three staffers at Book Punch on suspicion of selling seditious publications. National security police searched the Book Punch bookstore.

"The Troublemaker," a biography of Jimmy Lai, was among the books in question during the search. Police said, "We will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law."

The Book Punch bookstore remained closed on Wednesday with a notice reading "Taking a day off due to an unexpected situation. Sorry for any inconvenience." In January, Pong Yat-ming pleaded not guilty to allegations of running an unregistered school by allowing a Spanish class at his store, according to court filings.

On Monday, city authorities amended the implementation rules for the 2020 security law. The amended rules allow police to require individuals to provide passwords or decryption methods when investigating national security offenses.

"The new rules do not mean police could randomly ask for mobile phone passwords," said Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Tang said officers must first secure court warrants on national security grounds before searching electronic devices.

Individuals who refuse such requests could face up to one year in prison and a fine of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $12,800) if convicted. Customs authorities have been granted the power to seize items they reasonably suspect of carrying seditious intent.

On Tuesday, officials ordered three companies linked to Apple Daily removed from the city's companies registry. A government statement said the three companies were dissolved and designated as prohibited organizations. The government statement warned that anyone associating with the dissolved companies would violate a national security law introduced in 2024.

In December, Jimmy Lai and the companies Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, and AD Internet Limited were convicted of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. Jimmy Lai and the three companies were also found guilty of conspiring to publish seditious materials under a separate sedition law.

Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison last month. Each of the three companies was fined more than 3 million Hong Kong dollars (about $384,000). Apple Daily Limited served as the newspaper's registered publisher, Apple Daily Printing Limited as its printer, and AD Internet Limited as the owner of its website's domain name.

Apple Daily was founded by Jimmy Lai and was known for its critical coverage of the Hong Kong and Beijing governments. Apple Daily shut down after arrests of some of its top management under a national security law imposed in 2020. Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020 aimed at quelling the 2019 anti-government protests.