The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a man from the mainland on Tuesday for usury and falsely imprisoning a gambler, PJ spokesman Leng Kam Lon said during a special press conference yesterday.
Leng identified the suspect as a 44-year-old businessman surnamed Huang.
According to Leng, the police received a report from a mainland woman on April 25 that she had been held against her will in a flat in the peninsula’s San Kio neighbourhood due to unpaid debts from high-interest gambling loans.
According to the victim’s statement to the police, in the early hours of April 25, she met Huang, as well as other accomplices who were still at large at the time of the press conference. The victim borrowed HK$50,000 from them, with HK$5,000 deducted as initial “interest”, 20 percent of the bets of each winning round to be taken as additional “interest”. She also signed an IOU.
Huang handed over HK$45,000 in chips and accompanied the victim to gamble in a casino in Nape. Meanwhile, Huang collected “interest” and handed over the “interest” to his accomplices. After the victim gambled away all the borrowed money, she was taken to the flat by Huang and at least three accomplices, where she was held against her will. The victim later took the opportunity to escape from the flat and reported the case to the police.
Leng noted that the Public Security Police (PSP) intercepted Huang on Tuesday for overstaying in Macau.
Lei said that the victim was charged HK$30,000 in “interest” and was held for six hours. Under questioning, Huang admitted the crime, claiming that he had received HK$500 as “remuneration”.
Huang was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of false imprisonment and usury.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded usury suspect to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: Ada Lei
