The Judiciary Police (PJ) separately arrested two male non-resident workers (NRWs) from the mainland on Monday for engaging in illegal currency exchange activities, PJ spokesman Chong Kam Leong said during a special press conference yesterday.
Chong identified the first suspect as a 33-year-old male surnamed Chen who works as a security guard.
According to Chong, PJ officers on patrol in a hotel in Cotai on Monday witnessed Chen engaging in an illegal currency exchange deal with a middle-aged male gambler from the mainland. After the gambler activated his smartphone, Chen handed over HK$9,000 in cash to the gambler. The gambler then converted the cash into chips for gambling. The police immediately intercepted the gambler and later arrested Chen in the casino.
Chong noted that Chen had exchanged HK$10,000 for 9,300 yuan with the gambler, having earned 140 yuan in this deal. The police seized a mobile phone and HK$107,200 in chips from Chen, along with HK$9,000 in chips from the gambler. Under questioning, Chen admitted to having engaged in illegal currency exchange activities since mid-April, claiming to have earned a total of 20,000 yuan.
In the second case, Chong identified the suspect as a 31-year-old man surnamed Tao who works as a shop assistant.
According to Chong, the Judiciary Police (PJ) received a tip-off identifying Tao as an illegal currency exchange dealer living in Nape. On Monday, the police monitored Tao and observed him leaving his flat to head to the lobby of a hotel in Zape for illegal currency exchange activities. They witnessed Tao engaging in an illegal currency exchange deal with a middle-aged male gambler from the mainland. Afterwards, the gambler entered the casino to gamble. The police then intercepted the gambler and later apprehended Tao inside the casino.
Chong noted that Tao had exchanged HK$100,000 in cash for yuan at a rate of 0.94 with the gambler in the hotel lobby. Under questioning, Tao refused to cooperate. Chong said that Tao had engaged in illegal currency exchange activities since March.
The police seized a mobile phone, HK$283,000 in cash, and 1,000 yuan from Tao, along with HK$83,000 in cash and HK$17,000 in chips from the gambler. Additionally, two cash counting machines were confiscated from Tao’s flat.
Chong added that Tao was believed to be involved in fraudulent employment, and Tao’s flat was suspected of operating as an illegal guesthouse.
The suspects in both cases were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, each facing an illegal currency exchange charge.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded suspect in the first case to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photos: Ada Lei
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded suspect in the second case to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday.
