A man from the mainland was arrested on Monday for engaging in illegal currency exchange activities, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Cheong Siu Keong said during a special press conference yesterday.
Cheong identified the suspect as a 39-year-old male surnamed Xiao who told the police that he is jobless.
According to Cheong, PJ officers patrolling a hotel in the city centre on Monday witnessed Xiao engaging in an illegal currency exchange activity with a middle-aged male gambler from the mainland. After the deal, the gambler went to a nearby casino to gamble. The police later intercepted both Xiao and the gambler.
Cheong noted that before their arrest both had agreed to exchange 28,200 yuan for HK$30,000 in casino chips. After the gambler transferred the money via a QR code provided by Xiao, Xiao handed over the chips to the gambler. The police seized a mobile phone and HK$71,400 in chips from Xiao, along with HK$6,550 in chips from the gambler.
Under questioning, Xiao admitted to having engaged in illegal currency exchange activities since March, claiming to have earned HK$120 for every HK$10,000 exchanged, with a total profit of HK$100,000.
Xiao was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing an illegal currency exchange charge, according to Cheong.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded illegal foreign exchange suspect to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: Ada Lei
