Six people have been arrested in connection with Friday’s robbery in Sheung Wan, in which robbers took 58 million yen, or nearly HK$3 million, from two Japanese men.

The incident occurred outside a currency exchange shop on Des Voeux Road Central shortly after the victims had exited a taxi.

According to authorities, two assailants seized the cash and fled in a private car.

Speaking to reporters after a passing-out parade on Saturday, Police Commissioner Joe Chow said five men and one woman had been arrested.

Three of them were Japanese, with two mainlanders and a local making up the rest of the group of suspects.

Chow said one of the two men who were robbed was among the three Japanese arrested.

He is suspected of being the inside man in the robbery.

Chow said a portion of the stolen money had been recovered, but that the rest was believed to have been converted into other currencies and distributed.

He emphasised that police would reinforce patrols near currency exchange shops, particularly with the Lunar New Year approaching.

"Our approach has always been to enhance patrols at currency exchange shops, and in locations we consider to be higher risk, including gold and jewellery stores," he said.