Bar operated despite COVID-19 ban on entertainment venues

The Public Security Police (PSP) raided an unlicensed karaoke bar inside an industrial building on Avenida de Venceslau de Morais early yesterday morning, Lei Tak Fai, who heads the Public Relations Division of the PSP, said during yesterday’s daily Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre’s press conference.

The bar operated in breach of the government-ordered temporary closure of entertainment venues during its tightened anti-COVID-19 restrictions.

According to Lei, PSP officers intercepted 44 people during the operation, 40 of them customers aged between 16 and 43, while the remainder comprise the suspected operator, the person in charge and two female employees of the bar. Lei added that the operator is a male holding a Hong Kong ID card, while the male person in charge and the two employees are local residents.

The 44 suspects were arrested yesterday for violating the government’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures, Lei said, adding that the operator and the person in charge were also suspected of running the karaoke bar business without a licence, while the former also breached the law for engaging in work at the site without a Macau work permit.

Lei said that among the 40 customers, two are police officers, who joined the PSP in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Lei reaffirmed that police officers must always be aware of the law and abide by it, adding that any illegal behaviour will never be tolerated, but dealt with severely. Lei said that apart from criminal prosecution, disciplinary proceedings will also be launched against the two PSP officers.

Lei said that no drugs were involved in the case, and the person in charge claimed that the bar had been operating intermittently for about six months.

Indian NRW sexually harasses woman: police

Meanwhile, an Indian non-local resident worker (NRW) was arrested yesterday for sexually harassing a female and violating the government’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures, Lei said.

Lei noted that the male suspect is in his twenties.

According to Lei, the Public Security Police received a report at 1:41 a.m. yesterday that a woman had been sexually harassed when walking along Rua de Chaves in Taipa. PSP officers intercepted the suspect, who was not wearing his facemask, when he was caught at the scene, Lei added.

Under questioning, the suspect admitted that he touched the victim’s private parts when he passed her in the street, and then ran away from the scene, Lei said, adding that the suspect threw his shirt, cap and facemask on the roadside during his escape.

The suspect has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), where he faces a sexual harassment charge. 

Lei Tak Fai, who heads the Public Relations Division of the PSP, addresses yesterday’s daily Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre’s press conference. 
Photo: GCS