A mainland man was arrested on Wednesday when entering Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) checkpoint for cheating a gambler out of casino chips worth a total of HK$96,000 at a casino in Cotai on the previous day, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said yesterday.
According to yesterday’s regular press conference, the mainland victim got acquainted with the 39-year-old suspect surnamed Zhao through an illegal currency exchange dealer, after which, based on a deal to exchange HK$96,000 for 91,000 yuan, the victim handed over on Tuesday the winnings of casino chips worth HK$96,000 to Zhao in the casino. Lei said that, according to a PJ investigation, Zhao did not transfer the money to the victim’s bank account in the mainland after receiving the chips and, instead, fled when the victim was distracted.
Lei noted that the suspect, who had left Macau after committing the fraud, entered the city again at around 3 p.m. on the following day, i.e., Wednesday. The Judiciary Police arrested the suspect at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge checkpoint and seized HK$52,000 in suspected stolen money from him.
Under questioning, according to Lei, the suspect refused to cooperate in the investigation.
Zhao has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for further investigation, where he faces a charge of fraud involving a large sum of money, Lei noted.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference.
– Photo: Yuki Lei
