A duo from the Chinese mainland were separately arrested on Monday and last Thursday in Guigang and Macau respectively for robbing a middle-aged local man of HK$280,000 (288,000 patacas) in cash, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chao Teng Hin said during a special press conference yesterday.
Chao identified the suspects as a 31-year-old male surnamed Huang who claimed to be jobless, and a 33-year-old male surnamed Wu.
According to Chao, the victim met Huang in October and purchased USDT* virtual currency from him in cash. Last Tuesday, Huang proposed to buy 34,726 USDT from the victim for HK$270,000. After the victim agreed, he met Huang alone in a hotel lobby in Taipa that evening.
Chao noted that they entered a hotel guestroom for the deal. In the room, Huang first handed HK$270,000 in cash to the victim, who then transferred a total of 34,726 USDT in two transactions to Huang’s specified electronic wallet via his phone. However, after the transfer was completed, Huang claimed that he had not received the virtual currency and called Wu to come to the room.
Chao added that the victim attempted to leave and call the police when he saw Wu coming in, at which point Huang attacked him from behind, restraining him by the neck, while Wu joined in to physically assault the victim, pinning him down. During the struggle, Wu forcibly took the HK$270,000 as well as HK$10,000 in cash from the victim before fleeing the scene. The victim eventually managed to prevent Huang from escaping and reported a total loss of HK$280,000 to the police.
Chao said that the victim sustained multiple injuries to his hands and feet. The police apprehended Huang at the scene. However, Wu managed to escape to the Chinese mainland where the police arrested him on Monday in Guigang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Huang has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a robbery charge.
Chao added that the successful resolution of this case demonstrates the efficiency and smoothness of police cooperation between Macau and the mainland, highlighting the determination and capability of both police forces to combat cross-border crime. The Judiciary Police (PJ) will continue to strengthen cooperation with law enforcement agencies worldwide and rigorously tackle all forms of criminal activity, Chao said.
*USDT, or Tether, is a type of cryptocurrency known as a stablecoin. It is pegged to the value of the US dollar, meaning that one USDT is typically intended to be worth US$1. – Poe
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday shows evidence related to the robbery case.
