Four men have been arrested for smuggling a male mainlander to Macau and aiding and abetting illegal immigration, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man said at a special press conference yesterday.
The suspects are a 38-year-old skipper from the mainland surnamed Tang, a 31-year-old mainlander surnamed Zou who told the police he’s a businessman, a 53-year-old mainlander surnamed Wu who claimed to be a store manager and a 66-year-old local man surnamed Wu who told the police he’s jobless.
According to Chan, the police recently received a tip-off that a people-smuggling gang would transport an illegal immigrant to Macau on Monday. PJ and customs officers set up surveillance in the Inner Harbour district, and at 1 p.m. on Monday they saw a ship berthed near No. 6 Pier and soon a man on the ship disembarked and got into a van.
The police and customs officers intercepted Tang the skipper, the local suspect Wu who was the driver of the van, Zou and an illegal immigrant surnamed Yang at the scene. Subsequently, they also intercepted the other Wu in a Cotai hotel room, who was tasked with arranging accommodation for Yang.
The quartet refused to cooperate, while Yang told the police that he paid 60,000 yuan (66,700 patacas) for a one-way trip and that he came to gamble.
The quartet were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of organised crime as well as aiding and abetting illegal immigrants, according to Chan.
In Cantonese jargon, people smugglers are known as “snakeheads”.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the four hooded suspects from the PJ headquarters to a PJ vehicle yesterday.
– Photos: William Chan
Evidence seized from the people-smuggling suspects such as a pair of boots and several phones is displayed during yesterday’s special press conference at the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters.
