Judiciary Police (PJ) officers busted three illegal currency exchange cases on Wednesday, PJ spokesman Cheong Sio Keong said in a special press conference yesterday.
Cheong identified the suspect in the first case as a 26-year-old female surnamed Xia; in the second case a 61-year-old female surnamed Liu; and in the third case a 41-year-old male surnamed Liu. All of them told the police that they are from the mainland and unemployed.
In the first case, according to Cheong, on Wednesday morning, PJ officers patrolling a casino in Zape noticed Xia (a female suspect) and a gambler, who later became a witness in the case, finalising an illegal currency exchange. The officers took action after the duo had exchanged cash for gambling chips. The officers seized HK$13,000 in cash, HK$97,000 in chips and a smartphone.
Cheong said that Xia had been engaged in illegal currency exchange activities since the beginning of the year. She told the police that she had made a profit of some 4,000 yuan so far.
In the second case, according to Cheong, on Wednesday afternoon, PJ officers patrolling a casino in Zape noticed Liu (a female suspect) and a gambler, who later also became a witness in the case, finalising an illegal currency exchange. PJ officers took action after they exchanged cash for casino chips. The officers seized HK$20,000 in cash, HK$2,000 in chips and a smartphone.
According to Cheong, Liu told the police that she had been involved in illegal currency exchange activities since January, having made a profit of 2,000 yuan so far.
In the third case, according to Cheong, on Wednesday morning, PJ officers on patrol in a casino in the city centre noticed Liu (the male suspect) and a gambler, who later also became a witness, finalising an illegal currency exchange. PJ officers took action after the duo exchanged cash for gambling chips. The officers seized HK$59,500 in chips and one smartphone.
According to Cheong, Liu had been involved in illegal currency exchange activities since the middle of June. He told the police that he had made a profit of HK$4,000 so far.
The trio have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing illegal currency exchange charges, according to Cheong.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded illegal exchange dealer surnamed Xia to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photos: Armindo Neves
Evidence seized from Xia is displayed during yesterday’s special press conference at the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters in Zape.
