One night in New York City, two plainclothes detectives, Billy Wong and Michael Alexander, discover a stripped truck, which has been robbed of its cargo of computers. After their shift ends, the partners go to a bar. As Billy enters the men’s bathroom, a gang appears and kills several customers, including Michael. Billy fires his gun as the killers escape, and chases a wounded gang member to the wharf, where the man steals a motorboat. Disregarding orders from his captain, Billy follows in a speedboat, and a police helicopter joins the pursuit. Billy radios the pilot to drop him a line and pull him on board. The boats collide, killing the gangster. Later, the police captain reprimands Billy and demotes him to “crowd control.” His first assignment is a charity fashion show, working with fellow officer Danny Garoni. While the show is in progress, a masked gang abducts society hostess Laura Shapiro. Twenty-four hours later, the police captain is puzzled as to why Laura’s father, Martin Shapiro, has not received ransom demands. A Justice Department agent, Bob Cantrell, explains that the masked gang works for a powerful Hong Kong drug lord named Harold Ko, and Shapiro is suspected of being his longtime partner. Billy believes that Ko has already taken Laura to Hong Kong, and requests an assignment as a “special advisor” to Hong Kong police, with Danny as his partner. His superiors agree, hoping that finding Laura Shapiro may be the key to shutting down Ko’s heroin “pipeline” to New York. Following their arrival in Hong Kong, Superintendent Whitehead disapproves of Billy and Danny working in his city. When the detectives reveal their first lead as the Shang Hai Massage Parlor, they are warned that Ko will not hesitate to eliminate anyone who interferes with his business. As the detectives enjoy their massages, they are captured by Ko’s henchmen, and questioned by the parlor manager. The detectives admit that Shapiro is angry with Ko, but deny being police officers. The next day, while Danny and Billy visit a retired local detective, Ko’s thugs attempt a second attack, and escape following a heated battle. The Hong Kong detective has no information on Laura Shapiro, but promises to make inquiries. When Billy and Danny return to their hotel, they encounter more gangsters, and Billy shoots a man as he drives away. The car stops and an explosion follows. Local police arrive on the scene and arrest Billy and Danny. At the station, Superintendent Whitehead warns them to stay away from Ko, a legitimate businessman with a history of generous philanthropy. Undeterred, Billy and Danny go to a racetrack and interrupt Ko’s press conference. They throw cash into the air, claiming that Ko left it at their hotel room by mistake. When Billy and Danny find the retired detective dead, they persuade Soo Ling, his daughter, to help with their case. She takes them to fortuneteller, who claims that Shapiro associate Benny Garucci has traveled to Hong Kong to strike a deal, and warns they are in danger. Nevertheless, the American detectives continue their investigation, and observe Benny Garucci inspecting shipping containers at the port. At a meeting with Garucci, Ko explains that Martin Shapiro’s refusal to pay for his last shipment caused the drug lord to “lose face” and damaged their partnership. Garucci dismisses the episode as a misunderstanding, certain their business and friendship will continue. In response, Ko promises to release Laura Shapiro, and kill the American detectives before they uncover the details behind his heroin operation. Elsewhere, Billy and Danny strategize a way to rescue Laura before a hostage exchange takes place between Garucci and Ko. They enlist help from an American Navy Seal named Stan Jones, who is ready for action with his portable Israeli six-shot 20mm canon. At night in Ko’s factory, nude female workers crush heroin into fine powder for export. Behind them, Laura is locked in a cell. Billy, Danny, and Stan sneak in through a skylight and subdue several guards. As they release Laura from captivity, the factory workers scatter. Billy and his team attach explosives to worktables, and ignite them as they run to the getaway car. Garucci hides near the Americans’ car and captures Danny. While Garucci and Ko torture the detective, Billy telephones, offering to swap Laura for his partner. Ko agrees to meet Billy at his shipyards and make the exchange. Before leaving, Billy asks Stan to take Laura to Whitehead, unaware that the superintendent is one of Ko’s associates. Although Billy defeats Garucci in a fight, Ko sends several more men to attack. Billy overcomes them all, and fends off Garucci. When Hong Kong police arrive, Ko runs to a waiting helicopter and strafes the area as he flies overhead. Billy commandeers a crane and drops a shipping container onto the helicopter, resulting in an explosion. Later, the New York Police Department bestows its medals of honor on Billy and Danny for breaking up Ko’s drug ring, and confiscating a 2,000-pound heroin shipment. As the captain places medals around their necks, Danny asks what their next assignment will be. Before the captain can respond, Billy smiles and says, “Crowd control.”