The Judiciary Police have separately arrested a man and a woman from the mainland for engaging in illegal currency exchange deals, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Cheong Sio Keong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
In the first case, the 44-year-old woman surnamed Li works as a personal shopper.
A personal shopper is someone who assists individuals in selecting and purchasing items, such as clothing, accessories, groceries, or gifts, tailored to their preferences, needs, and budget.
According to Cheong, the police received a report about an illegal currency exchange activity from a casino in Cotai on Friday. Security staff of the casino discovered Li offering an illegal currency exchange deal to a male gambler. Li was apprehended by the security staff and transferred to the police; the gambler cooperated as witness in the investigation. Under questioning, Li admitted to exchanging HK$10,000 with the gambler for 9,700 yuan, making a profit of 180 yuan on the deal. Li also admitted to having engaged in illegal currency exchange activities since 2023. The police seized HK$21,000 in total.
In the second case, the 54-year-old man surnamed Pan told the police that he is jobless.
According to Cheong, PJ officers on patrol saw Pan providing an illegal currency exchange deal to a male gambler in a casino in Cotai on Monday. Pan and the gambler were apprehended on the spot. The gambler then turned witness in the case. Under questioning, Pan admitted to exchanging HK$20,000 with the gambler for 19,100 yuan, making a profit of 500 yuan in this deal. Pan also admitted to having engaged in illegal currency exchange activities since January, making a total profit of 9,000 yuan (9,940 patacas). The police have confiscated HK$310,000 in total.
The suspects in the two cases have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing illegal currency exchange charges.
