A man from the mainland has been arrested for receiving and leading illegal immigrants from and to people-smuggling spots in Macau for a mainland gang, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chong Kam Leong said during a special press conference yesterday.
The 33-year-old suspect surnamed An claimed to be jobless.
According to Chong, the Judiciary Police, together with the Macau Customs Services, busted a people-smuggling case in the waters off the former Lai Chi Vun Shipyards in Coloane last month. Later, the authorities identified An as the suspected “snake head” (Cantonese jargon for people smugglers) who had left Macau after dropping off the illegal immigrants from his boat in Coloane.
After entering Macau through the Barrier Gate checkpoint on Friday, An was placed under surveillance. On Monday, he was apprehended at a casino in Cotai.
Under questioning, An admitted to being employed by a people-smuggling gang from the mainland. He told the police that he had received 2,000 yuan (2,260 patacas) for each successful people-smuggling operation.
An was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of people smuggling, organised crime, and aiding and abetting illegal immigrants, Chong said.
The hooded suspect from the mainland is escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers to a PJ vehicle parked outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday.
– Photo: William Chan
