Two men from the mainland were arrested on Monday for engaging in illegal currency exchange activities, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chong Kam Leong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Chong identified the suspects as a 33-year-old waste recycler surnamed Yang and a 48-year-old man surnamed Lan who claimed to be jobless.
According to Chong, on Monday, PJ officers on patrol witnessed Lan and Yang engaging in an illegal currency exchange with a gambler at a casino in Cotai, during which Yang took the gambler to Lan who then presented a QR code for the gambler to transfer money, and after receiving the funds, Lan handed over HK$20,000 in cash to the gambler. After the deal, the gambler converted the cash into chips and gambled away HK$5,000. The police intercepted Yang, Lan and the gambler separately later that day, while the gambler cooperated as a witness in the investigation.
Under questioning, both suspects admitted to engaging in illegal currency exchange activities since mid-March, having earned a total profit of 13,000 yuan together. He also told the police that he had exchanged HK$20,000 for 19,000 yuan and earned 500 yuan in the latest case. The police confiscated HK$86,000 in cash from Lan and HK$15,000 in chips from the gambler.
The duo have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing charges of illegal currency exchange.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chong Kam Leong looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: Ada Lei
