▁began ▁from ▁within ▁the ▁group ▁to ▁clean ▁up ▁their ▁public ▁image ▁by ▁ob f usc ating ▁their ▁illegal ▁activities , ▁and ▁in ▁several ▁chap ters ▁this ▁would ▁transform ▁into ▁a ▁genu ine ▁attempt ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁purely ▁law - ab iding ▁organization . ▁There ▁were ▁clear ▁trans fers ▁of ▁illegal ▁activities ▁to ▁pla us ibly ▁den i able ▁associated ▁street ▁gang s , ▁like ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁where ▁the ▁H ip ▁Sing ▁T ong ▁secret ly ▁used ▁the ▁F lying ▁Drag ons ▁( gang ) ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁cr imes ▁in ▁their ▁stead . ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁crack down s , ▁the ▁links ▁between ▁the ▁H ip ▁Sing ▁Association ▁and ▁their ▁gang s ▁become ▁increasing ly ▁f rayed ▁and ▁some ▁sources ▁believe ▁that ▁the ▁gang ▁had ▁fully ▁broken ▁out ▁of ▁H ip ▁Sing ▁control ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁. ▁▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁branches ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁have ▁turned ▁their ▁original ▁attempts ▁at ▁pla us ible ▁den i ability ▁into ▁a ▁genu ine ▁tr end ▁towards ▁becoming ▁fully ▁law - ab iding ▁frat ernal ▁organizations ▁like ▁other ▁T ongs . ▁The ▁NY C ▁H SA ▁is ▁a ▁permanent ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Chinese ▁Cons olid ated ▁B ene vol ent ▁Association ▁and ▁has ▁got ten ▁H SA ▁officer ▁Eric ▁Ng ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁organization . ▁Under ▁his ▁presiden cy , ▁the ▁CC BA ▁has ▁specifically ▁focused ▁on ▁public ▁out re ach ▁and ▁fost ering ▁direct ▁co operation ▁between ▁the ▁CC