Illegal money exchange in Macau: 42 arrested in raids
The Macau Judiciary Police (PJ) carried out a series of raids at hotels and residential units in Macau and Cotai.
Macau.- Some 42 alleged unlicensed currency traders have been arrested in a series of raids conducted at hotels and residential units in Macau and Cotai. The Macau Judiciary Police (PJ) said that two of those arrested were non-resident workers. One of the detainees had overstayed in Macau by nine months.
Some 100 officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of the PJ were assigned to various hotels on the Macau Peninsula and Taipa, along with two residential locations. Those arrested were Chinese citizens: 29 men and 13 women aged between 27 and 63. Police seized around HK$3m (US$386,100) in cash, HK$160,000 (US$20,590) in gaming chips, and 56 mobile phones.
Sou Sio Keong, deputy director of the PJ, said that once the new bill on Combating Illegal Gambling Crimes comes into effect, the police will have a stronger legal basis to combat illegal money exchange activities. The bill passed its second reading on October 16.
The new legislation criminalises unauthorised currency exchange when carried out for gambling purposes regardless of whether it occurs inside or outside casinos. Any gambling-related foreign exchange activity considered part of a business operation could fall under its provisions.
Police will need to obtain evidence, such as testimony from the unlicensed currency trader or the client, to prove that a transaction is for gambling. The bill also bans the operation, promotion, and organisation of online gambling and mutual betting irrespective of the physical location of associated systems and devices within Macau. It also introduces provisions enabling searches of residences from 9pm to 7am and restricts detainee communication before judicial interrogation.
