A gambler from the mainland was falsely imprisoned in a hotel guestroom by three mainland loan sharks for 27 hours after he had failed to repay his gambling debts of HK$200,000, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chong Kam Leong said yesterday during a special press conference.
The suspects are a 32-year-old man surnamed Liu and a 38-year-old man surnamed Zhang. Both told the police that they’re jobless. An accomplice was still on the run at the time of the press conference, Chong added.
According to Chong, the victim asked for a loan of HK$200,000 from Liu on Saturday at a Cotai casino. Liu lent him the money, under the condition that he pay 20 percent “interest” on each win. Liu and his accomplice also took the victim’s identification documents.
After the male victim gambled away all the borrowed money, he was held against his will in his hotel guestroom for 27 hours, during which Liu’s accomplice left the hotel, while Zhang came to watch the victim. When Liu and Zhang took him to the hotel lobby to extend his hotel room booking, the victim shouted for help, leading police officers nearby to arrest the duo at the scene.
Under questioning, the duo remained uncooperative and refused to disclose their identities.
The duo were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of usury, illegal imprisonment, and disobedience. The police are still investigating the whereabouts of the remaining suspect.
The two hooded male loan-sharking suspects from the mainland are escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers from the PJ headquarters in Zape to a vehicle after yesterday morning’s special press conference. – Photo: William Chan
