The 12 suspects remanded in custody for their alleged involvement in a large-scale prostitution racket, including three active-duty Public Security Police (PSP) officers, are facing triad charges based on “strong evidence of the commission of crimes,” the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) said in a statement on Sunday night.
According to the statement, 14 other suspects in the case involving three crime syndicates have been released on other legally mandated coercive measures – including two retired Judiciary Police (PJ) officers – while awaiting trial.
The statement underlined that the three prostitution rackets used “saunas” as a disguise for their criminal activities. “Sauna” is a customary euphemism in Macau for a place providing commercial sex.
The statement also said that some of the suspects bribed the five active-duty and retired police officers in exchange for information about police operations, thereby enabling the syndicates’ criminal activities to continue undisturbed.
The 12 suspects remanded in custody in Macau’s prison in Coloane also face bribe-taking and money-laundering charges.
The statement cited Article 2 of the Anti-Triad Law No. 6/97/M. Triads are formally known as “secret societies,” or “black societies” in Chinese.
Article 2 states that triad membership is punishable by imprisonment ranging between five and 12 years, while triad leadership is punishable by between eight and 15 years behind bars. The punishment of a public servant found guilty of triad membership or leadership is aggravated by one third of the respective minimum and maximum limits imposed by the law.
The statement identified the three active-duty PSP officers as a 60-year-old deputy commissioner surnamed Leong; a 51-year-old acting division chief surnamed Chan; and a 54-year-old constable surnamed Sou. The three officers, who were arrested last week, have meanwhile been suspended from duty and are undergoing disciplinary proceedings.
Public broadcaster TDM has identified the deputy police commissioner allegedly involved in the case as Leong Heng Hong, a former director of the Macau Public Security Forces Academy, who held other high-ranking PSP positions during his long career.
Sunday night’s statement stressed that local authorities “will not tolerate under any circumstances any criminal acts that may jeopardise social order and the public interest.”
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort 26 suspected members of a prostitution racket from PJ headquarters in Zape to vehicles, ahead of their transfer to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for further questioning on Friday. – Photo: Armindo Neves
