Two local and six Hong Kong men were arrested last week for using virtual currency to launder 400 million patacas obtained from online scams, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon told reporters at a special press conference on Friday.
According to Leng, the police received “reliable intelligence” that there is a Hong Kong-Macau syndicate using money they obtained from online scams to purchase virtual currency, then selling the virtual currency oversees to launder the money. Leng noted that the syndicate had been laundering money since October last year, adding that they then transferred their earnings to various bank accounts overseas. Leng said that the Hong Kong suspects then withdrew the “clean money” from ATMs in Macau and used the money to purchase virtual currency again. Leng said that the suspects kept repeating the process to make it more difficult for the police to trace.
Leng said that on Wednesday the police took action and arrested the two local suspects, surnamed Vong and Ieong, at an electronics shop in Zape, while on the same day the local police nabbed four Hong Kong suspects in a hotel in Zape. Leng said that on Thursday, the police also arrested the remaining two Hong Kong suspects when they arrived in the city from the mainland at a local checkpoint. Leng pointed out that the six Hong Kong men, surnamed Kuok, Chan, Ho, Wong, Chan and Yip confessed that they were instructed to buy and sell virtual currency in Macau and each were promised to be paid 2,000 patacas each time. Leng underlined that the two local suspects refused to cooperate with the police, but there was strong evidence showing that all eight suspects were involved in the crime.
Leng noted that during the operation the police were able to seize cash in Hong Kong dollars, patacas and yuan, worth 570,000 patacas, while they also confiscated 168 ATM cards, a number of mobile phones, a luxury watch, private vehicles, and other items. Leng said that with the help of the Hong Kong police, the suspects’ virtual currency accounts holding the equivalent of about 247,000 patacas were frozen. Leng noted the police believe that 180 million patacas had already been transferred into bank accounts overseas.
Leng said that the two local victims claimed to be the owners of the electronics shop, while the six Hong Kong men claimed that they were jobless, adding that the suspects are aged between 33 and 44. Leng pointed out that they face money laundering and organised crime membership charges. They were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday.
Two local and six Hong Kong suspects are escorted by the Judiciary Police (PJ) officers on Friday to a police vehicle outside PJ headquarters.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon (centre) looks on during Friday’s special press conference, with the table in front showing the items seized from the money laundering syndicate, including cash, ATM cards and mobile phones. Photos: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
