The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested three mainland men on Tuesday for engaging in casino loansharking activities, PJ spokesman Chong Kam Leong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Chong identified the first suspect as a 34-year-old male surnamed Xu, the second suspect as a 35-year-old male also surnamed Xu, and the third suspect as a 36-year-old male surnamed Shi. The three suspects, who worked as a gang, told the police that they are jobless.
According to Chong, PJ officers patrolling a casino in Cotai on Tuesday morning witnessed the three men exhibiting suspicious gambling behaviour alongside a middle-aged female gambler from the mainland at one of the gaming tables. After accumulating HK$20,000 in chips from gambling, the woman handed them to the first suspect, who counted the chips, took a few for himself, and then returned the remainder to the woman for gambling. The first suspect then passed the chips to the second suspect, who placed them in his crossbody bag. Throughout, Shi stayed close to the woman, monitoring her gambling activities. Chong noted that none of the three suspects placed any bets. Suspecting that their activity was related to casino loansharking, in which chips are customarily taken as “interest,” the officers caught the suspects red-handed.
Chong noted that early Tuesday morning, the woman had borrowed HK$300,000 from Shi for gambling, under the condition that 15 percent of her winnings would be taken as “interest” whenever she won a round with 7, 8, or 9 points. During the gambling session, the first and second suspects collected chips from the victim as “interest” and for safekeeping. After five hours of gambling, the police intervened and discovered that HK$100,000 had been taken from the woman as “interest.”
The police seized a total of HK$505,400 in cash and chips, and four mobile phones from the trio, along with HK$4,500 in chips from the woman. Under questioning, the three suspects admitted to engaging in casino loansharking.
The trio were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, each facing a charge of usury.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chong Kam Leong looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: Ada Lei
