Two mainland Chinese women arrested in Macau for illegal money exchange activities
Over HK$164,000 (US$21,000) in chips and cash seized by police in two separate cases.
Key points:
– Two women accused of illegal currency exchange in Cotai and NAPE casinos
– Both cases involved mobile phone transactions and chip exchanges
– Police seized HK$164,300 worth of chips and cash in total
As reported by Macao Daily, two women from mainland China were arrested in separate incidents for allegedly engaging in illegal money exchange activities with gamblers at casino locations in Cotai and the NAPE district.
Authorities from the Judiciary Police said a total of HK$164,300 in chips and cash was confiscated, along with two mobile phones believed to have been used during the transactions. Both women are being charged under laws prohibiting unauthorised currency exchange linked to gambling activities.
The first suspect, a 56-year-old woman surnamed Wu, was caught last Friday during a police patrol in the NAPE area. Officers observed her engaging with a male gambler outside a hotel, where both parties were seen repeatedly scanning mobile QR codes. Wu later handed over a bundle of cash, and the gambler entered a casino to exchange the funds for chips, subsequently losing HK$1,000 in gaming.
Wu later admitted she had offered to exchange RMB4,720 (US$650) for HK$5,000, taking RMB170 as illegal profit. She confessed to having operated similarly since May and had earned around RMB30,000 through such activities.
Good to know: Unlicensed currency exchange, commonly known as “money changing gangs”, often targets tourists and gamblers near casinos and carries stiff penalties under Macau’s gambling-linked anti-money laundering laws
In the second case, a 35-year-old woman surnamed Wang was apprehended on Sunday in Cotai under similar circumstances. She admitted to exchanging RMB18,900 for HK$20,000, earning RMB120 in the process.
Wang reportedly started her operations in April and has since made RMB16,000 in illegal profit. All suspects and seized items have been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office for further investigation.
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