The Judiciary Police has increased its activity with regards to the Macau casino industry in recent months, directing a number of fresh operations towards suppressing money laundering.

In mid-October, 12 people were arrested under suspicion of providing illicit money exchange services, with two of them detained.

However, Macau authorities have switched their focus towards loan sharking more recently.

Local media reported more than HKD60m ($7.7m) was loaned out to at least 80 victims by the syndicate that was raided by police.

Of those arrested, the head of the group was a Macau resident, while other members were from Hong Kong, but the majority came from Mainland China.

The syndicate is believed to have been active since 2016, with HKD1.7m in cash found during raids on nine Macau apartments.