The Judiciary Police (PJ) nabbed a man from the Chinese mainland for illegal currency exchange, PJ spokesman Chao Teng Hin said during a regular press conference yesterday,
Chao identified the suspect as a 29-year-old man surnamed Liang who claimed to be jobless.
According to Chao, on Monday, PJ officers during a routine operation against illegal currency exchange activities noticed two men behaving suspiciously.
Chao said that PJ officers noticed that Liang showed his mobile phone to a gambler, after which both apparently engaged in the transfer of funds, before both entered a casino together to exchange cash into gaming chips.
Liang handed the gaming chips to the gambler, who immediately used them to gamble, Chao said, adding that PJ officers then intervened and stopped them for questioning.
The investigation confirmed that the suspect exchanged 4,570 yuan for HK$5,000 in chips for the gambler, Chao said, adding that Liang proceeded with the transaction despite being fully aware that the exchanged funds would be used for gambling.
According to Chao, Liang had been regularly entering Macau since mid-January to engage in illegal currency exchange activities, earning around 5,000 yuan. During Monday’s operation, PJ officers seized HK$21,400 in gambling chips and a smartphone from Liang, and HK$2,000 in chips from the gambler.
Liang has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing an illegal currency exchange charge.
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police yesterday shows evidence seized by police during Monday’s routine operation against illegal currency exchange activities.
