The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a couple from the Chinese mainland on Monday for defrauding a friend, PJ spokesman Ho Ka Weng announced during a regular press conference yesterday.
Ho identified the suspects as a 33-year-old businessman surnamed Min and a 32-year-old unemployed woman surnamed Wu.
The victim is a middle-aged mainland man. According to Ho, the victim contacted the Judiciary Police on January 24, reporting that he had arranged to gamble jointly with Min at a casino in Cotai, with both parties agreeing to chip in HK$110,000 (113,304 patacas) each as capital.
The victim handed over HK$110,000 in casino chips to Min, taking their total joint gambling pot to HK$220,000 in chips.
Wu was also present.
After winning HK$230,000, Min made an excuse to take the victim to view other gaming tables, leaving HK$210,000 in chips with Wu for “safekeeping”, Ho said.
Min then slipped away, and both suspects vanished without returning the victim’s capital.
Following an investigation, PJ officers identified the couple and intercepted them at the Barrier Gate checkpoint on Monday evening.
The investigation revealed that Wu had cashed in the victim’s HK$110,000 worth of chips and kept the proceeds, Ho added. Officers seized HK$70,000 in cash and two smartphones from the couple.
The pair have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), where they each face a charge of breach of trust.
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police yesterday shows evidence seized from the casino-fraud couple.
