Tak Chun Group boss Levo Chan Weng Lin and Ying Hai Group Holdings boss Choi Wai Chan – Chan’s suspected accomplice – were transferred by the Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for alleged money laundering, criminal organisation and illegal gambling, after their arrests on Friday in connection with late last year’s Suncity case, according to police and media reports.
Both Tak Chun and Suncity are said to have been Macau’s top junket operators until recently. Ying Hai’s business activities are understood to include travel, transport and esports.
PJ spokesman Chong Kam Leong announced the two high-profile arrests during a special press conference at the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday morning. Chong said that both were allegedly involved in organised crime, illegal gambling and money laundering.
According to Chong, Chan, aged 49, and Choi, aged 34, were both transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) after the 15-minute press conference.
Chong identified the two suspects only by their surnames. He did not mention the names of their companies. However, local, Hong Kong and international media referred to their full names and also identified their respective companies yesterday.
Macau Legend Development Limited, operator of Legend Palace and Babylon casino at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, confirmed Chan’s identity in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yesterday evening.
According to the statement, the board of directors of the company “is aware of the arrest and detainment of Mr Chan Weng Lin, an executive director, the co-chairman of the Board, the chief executive officer and a controlling shareholder of the company” by the Judiciary Police in Macau.
The Macau Legend Development statement added that “the Board is of the view that as the Group is operated by a team of management personnel and the above incident relates to the personal affairs of Mr Chan and not related to the Group, the Board does not expect the above incident to have a material adverse impact on the daily operations of the Group.”
The statement added that “shareholders and potential investors of the Company are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the Company.”
The statement was issued by local businessman David Chow Kam Fai on behalf of the Board, in his capacity as co-chairman and non-executive director.
Besides his role at Macau Legend Development, Chan is also Tak Chun Group’s co-chairman and executive director. Tak Chun was named last week as one of the 46 VIP gaming promoters approved by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) to operate this year.
According to Chong, Chan and Choi were both arrested at a hotel in Zape on Friday. Chong underlined that both refused to cooperate with the police, adding that they did not answer any of the police officers’ questions.
Chong pointed out that they found a large amount of evidence in their residences in Cotai and their offices in Nape. Chong noted that the evidence includes computers, servers, and cash in different currencies worth about HK$4.1 million. Chong stressed that the police have strong evidence proving that the two have been involved in organised crime, illegal gambling and money laundering.
Chong said that Chan was the “controller” of the syndicate, while Choi assisted Chan in his criminal endeavours. He said that while investigating “last November’s junket case”, the police found another company that was also engaged in similar activities, pointing out that last November’s junket case led to the 13 arrests.
Meanwhile, public broadcaster TDM reported last night that while Chan was remanded in custody by the Public Prosecutions Office and taken to the prison in Coloane, Choi was released on his own recognisance but has been barred from leaving Macau.
Suncity boss Alvin Chau Cheok Wa was arrested on November 27 and was remanded in custody on November 29.
Chong also said that the case involving Chan and Choi had been under investigation since 2019, adding that during the investigation local police had exchanged intelligence with security forces from different countries, cities and regions.
Chau, who resigned from his post as chairman of Suncity shortly after his arrest, is awaiting trial for a raft of illegal gambling-related charges such as money laundering, organised crime and illegal gambling. Two well-known local businessmen, surnamed Siu and Kwan, have also been remanded in custody for their alleged involvement in the Suncity case.
Both Tak Chun (“Virtue and Advancement”) and Suncity were set up by Chau and Chan respectively in 2007. Ying Hai (“Big Ocean”) was established by Choi in 2014, according to business records.
The two hooded suspects - Levo Chan Weng Li and Choi Wai Chan – are being escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers yesterday morning to two vehicles to be taken to the nearby Public Prosecutions Office (MP) in Zape for further investigation. Photo: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
