A casino in Cotai was cheated on Saturday by five male mainlanders who gambled with fake gaming chips worth HK$10,000 each, incurring a total loss of HK$1.6 million, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said in a special press conference yesterday.
Lei identified the suspects, aged between 39 to 53, as surnamed Pan, Li, Bai, Li, and Yao.
According to Lei, on Saturday, the police received a report from a casino in Cotai saying that an on-duty dealer had discovered 25 counterfeit casino chips with a face value of HK$10,000 each. Lei noted that the fraudsters had modified the HK$10,000 counterfeit chips from HK$100 chips of the same casino.
The five suspects were apprehended at the casino later that day. Lei said that the counterfeit casino chips were used at baccarat tables, resulting in the fraudsters winning money and causing a loss of HK$1.6 million for the casino. Additionally, some customers also received the counterfeit chips, which were discovered when they tried to cash them at the counter.
Under questioning, the suspects denied involvement in the fraud, claiming that they were only present and gambled with the counterfeit chips as instructed by “someone”.
Lei added that the local police promptly notified the mainland public security authorities about the case. On Monday, three additional male suspects, whom the police assume to be the leaders of the gang, were arrested in Guangdong province.
The quintet were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of organised crime and fraud, Lei noted.
The five hooded mainlanders suspected of defrauding a local casino with bogus chips out of HK$1.6 million are escorted by police officers to a vehicle in front of the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters in Zape.
Evidence seized from the suspects such as fake chips and mobile phones are displayed during yesterday’s special press conference at the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters. – Photos: William Chan
