Crown Resorts employees arrested in China

18 Crown Resorts workers were detained in China for seeming gambling crimes.

China.- Eighteen Crown Resorts employees, including Australian citizens, were arrested in Chine in gambling probe in order to investigate seeming crimes. Crown Resorts’ major authorities were not able to communicate with its workers. However, they asked Australian government to confirm the welfare of the group, which includes a senior executive. It is unclear why the staff may have been detained or if any charges have been laid.

“According to the authorities overseeing the case, some Australian nationals have been detained by the Chinese authorities on suspicion of gambling crimes. The case is currently under investigation,” reassured yesterday a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson. China is investigating the activities of the casino in Macau for suspected gambling crimes.

Crown Resorts could be benefiting from an upsurge in Chinese tourists at its Australian casinos even as a graft clampdown by the Chinese government has hurt its operations in the gambling enclave of Macau. As casinos advertising is illegal across continental China, Crown Resorts and other major operators are able to promote tourism in the Asian gambling hub.

“Crown believes that Jason O’Connor, the head of Crown’s VIP International team, is one of 18 employees being questioned by Chinese authorities,” shared yesterday a spokesperson for Crown. Under a consular treaty between the two countries, Chinese authorities have three days in which to notify Canberra of the detention of any Australian citizens. “Consular officials will seek to offer appropriate consular assistance to the detained Australians,” commented a spokesman for Australia’s foreign affairs department.