Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said yesterday that as of yesterday the Judiciary Police had received information about three suspected cases of luring local residents into working in casinos in certain Southeast Asian countries by offering them a monthly salary of US$5,000 (about 40,396 patacas), targeting at least two males and three females, adding that one of the victims who had been enticed to work in Laos was now safe in another Southeast Asian country.
The Judiciary Police held a special press conference at their headquarters in Zape about gangs luring local residents to Southeast Asian countries by promising them high salaries.
Lei noted that the five victims who were persuaded by their respective friends and colleagues to work in Southeast Asian countries’ casinos, are aged between 20 and 30.
Lei added that two of the victims are currently working in local casinos, one work as a clerk and the other two are jobless.
According to Lei, PJ officers received a report on August 4 from a woman that her younger brother had been introduced by a friend to work in a casino in Laos on July 11, but he managed to leave Laos on August 7 and is now safe in another Southeast Asian country.
Lei did not reveal in which country the victim is currently and how he was able to leave Laos.
Lei said that PJ officers received another report from a local male on Wednesday who told the police that he had been introduced by his colleague last year to work in a Southeast Asian country, but finally he decided not to go there. Lei added that the victim had changed his mind after noticing relevant news recently and suspecting that the job introduced by his colleague was a scam so he reported the case to the police for help.
Besides, a woman recently told the Judiciary Police that her female friend, who was due to leave Macau yesterday for Cambodia, was believed to have been duped into accepting the job offer.
Based on the information provided by the woman who was supposed to leave Macau yesterday, PJ officers contacted two sisters who had planned to leave Macau together with her yesterday via the airport in Guangzhou to work in public relations for a casino in Cambodia, Lei noted, adding that the Judiciary Police convinced the three women to stay in Macau and give up the idea of working in Cambodia.
Meanwhile, PJ Criminal Investigator Ng Kin Lok said at the press conference that criminal organisations are known to entice residents via websites, social media or relatives and friends into working in casinos in Southeast Asian countries, such as Laos and Cambodia, by promising them high salaries.
In fact, Ng said, those falling into the trap will be encouraged, forced or even falsely imprisoned to commit telephone fraud. The gangs’ modus operandi may even involve human trafficking, Ng said.
Therefore, the Judiciary Police urged the public to be wary of overseas job scams, adding that residents should not blindly trust job postings on the internet or unsubstantiated claims by strangers.
Lei said the police are investigating whether the job scams that targeted the five locals came from the same gang. Similar cases were reported by the police in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei and PJ Criminal Investigator Ng Kin Lok look on during yesterday’s special press conference at the PJ headquarters in Zape. – Photo: Yuki Lei
