The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested two men and a woman from the mainland on Sunday for falsely imprisoning two male mainlanders, PJ spokesman Cheong Siu Keong said at a special press conference yesterday.
Cheong identified the suspects as a 27-year-old male restaurant owner surnamed Xin, his 28-year-old wife surnamed Zou, who claimed to be jobless, and a 32-year-old male surnamed Song, who also told the police that he’s jobless.
According to Cheong, the Judiciary Police (PJ) received a referral from the Public Security Police (PSP) early Sunday morning about an illegal imprisonment case. Two mainland men were held against their will in a hotel guestroom in Cotai. The police arrived and apprehended Xin, Zou, and Song in the guestroom.
Cheong noted that Xin had exchanged HK$100,000 in cash for 94,600 yuan on Saturday afternoon with a man who remained at large at the time of the press conference. Xin had handed HK$100,000 in cash to the man, who then transferred the money to an account provided by Xin. Xin later discovered that the account had been frozen. In an attempt to recover his loss, the three suspects lured the two victims who were accomplices of the man to the hotel guestroom at 1 a.m. on Sunday under the pretence of exchanging an additional HK$200,000. The victims were held captive for two hours, during which Xin and Song assaulted them and caused them minor head injuries. The suspects took the victims’ mobile phones, and threatened them if they did not find the whereabouts of the HK$100,000, while Zou watched them. The victims managed to call the police when the suspects returned their mobile phones to contact the man.
The police seized HK$29,000 and four mobile phones from the suspects. Under questioning, all suspects refused to cooperate.
The three suspects were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of false imprisonment, illegal currency exchange, destruction of property, making threats and assault.
Police nab 2 mainlanders for illegally currency exchange
Meanwhile, two men from the mainland were arrested on Sunday for engaging in illegal currency exchange activities, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Cheong Siu Keong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Cheong identified the suspects as a 34-year-old designer surnamed Xie and a 33-year-old man also surnamed Xie who told the police that he’s jobless.
According to Cheong, the two suspects followed the instructions of an accomplice to go to a hotel guestroom in Cotai early Sunday morning to conduct an illegal currency exchange transaction involving HK$200,000 with a female and two male currency exchange dealers. Upon arrival, the three dealers suddenly demanded the return of 94,500 yuan that had been frozen due to an illegal exchange with their accomplice and held the suspects against their will in the guestroom for about two hours. The suspects took the opportunity to call the police for help.
The two suspects were arrested for their involvement in illegal currency exchange activities. The police seized their mobile phones. Under questioning, both admitted to engaging in illegal currency exchange activities since February, claiming to have earned 1,200 yuan only.
The duo have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing charges of illegal currency exchange.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the three hooded false imprisonment suspects to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: Ada Lei
