Key points:
- HK$82,000 (US$10,500) in casino chips seized during enforcement operation
- Suspect allegedly charged unauthorised exchange fees to gamblers
- Case referred to Public Prosecutions Office for further investigation
A mainland Chinese man has been arrested in Macau on suspicion of operating an illegal currency exchange scheme near a Cotai casino, as reported by Macao Daily. The 33-year-old suspect, surnamed Kwok, was detained on Monday and is alleged to have been exchanging cash for gaming chips without authorisation.
According to the Judiciary Police, officers were conducting a targeted patrol in the Cotai area when they noticed two men behaving suspiciously inside a hotel. Surveillance revealed that after one man transferred funds to Kwok via mobile phone, Kwok handed him HK$5,000 worth of chips. The two men then parted ways, with the recipient entering a nearby casino, where he reportedly began gambling and lost part of the chips.
Police officers intercepted both individuals shortly after the transaction. Upon questioning, Kwok admitted that he had been offering illegal exchange services around casinos since mid-April, earning an estimated RMB10,000 ($1,380) in illicit profit.
Investigators discovered that on the day of the arrest, Kwok had exchanged HK$5,000 (US$640) worth of chips for RMB4,850, profiting by RMB200. Officers seized HK$78,000 in chips believed to be used for unlawful exchanges from Kwok, as well as HK$4,000 from the gambler.
Kwok has been charged under laws prohibiting unauthorised currency exchange linked to gambling activity. The case has been handed over to the Public Prosecutions Office for further proceedings. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to clamping down on underground money changing operations that circumvent financial regulations.
