A local parallel trader has been arrested for embezzling five watches worth a total of 810,000 patacas from a purchasing agent, Judiciary Police spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said during a regular press conference yesterday,
The 34-year-old female suspect is surnamed Fong.
According to Lei, the victim lives in the mainland and in February the victim was introduced to Fong by a friend. In mid-March the victim entrusted Fong with five watches worth a total of 810,000 patacas to take to the mainland. However, the watches were never delivered.
Fong later told the victim that the watches had been confiscated by the mainland customs and demanded that the victim give her 390,000 yuan (459,000 patacas) so that she could pay the customs to release the watches, which the victim did.
Lei added that Fong demanded another 900,000 yuan to pay the customs, leading the victim to grow suspicious. After confronting Fong, who failed to give a reasonable justification, the victim reported the case to the police.
During their investigation, police discovered that Fong had hocked the watches for HK$665,000 in a pawn shop in Nape. Fong was arrested in a flat in the northern district earlier this month.
Fong admitted to the crime and claimed that she had gambled away all the ill-gotten money, Lei noted.
Fong has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing abuse-of-trust and fraud charges, according to Lei.
Judiciary Police spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: William Chan
