The Judiciary Police (PJ) separately arrested three women from the Chinese mainland for illegal currency exchange activities on Thursday, PJ spokesman Chao Teng Hin said during a special press conference on Friday.
Chao identified the suspects, aged between 39 and 58, as surnamed Zhang, Chen and Zou.
They told the police that they’re jobless, adding that they were arrested during PJ officers’ operations targeting currency exchange offences.
On Thursday at a casino in Zape, Chao said that Zhang exchanged 480 yuan for HK$500 in chips with a gambler. Zhang had been in Macau since early last month, claiming that she had earned HK$1,500 from her illegal activities. During the operation, PJ officers seized HK$10,450 in gaming chips, HK$32,000 in cash, and two mobile phones.
On the same day, according to Chao, Chen and a female mainland gambler agreed near a casino in Zape to exchange 1,820 yuan for HK$2,000. Chen had been in Macau since early this month and claimed to have earned around 4,000 yuan from the illegal activities, Chao said, adding that PJ officers seized HK$39,500 in cash and two mobile phones at the scene.
Chao also said that on Thursday Zou exchanged 2,800 yuan for HK$3,000 in chips with a gambler at a casino in Zape. Zou had been conducting illegal currency exchange activities since early this month, claiming to have earned HK$240 from her illegal currency exchange deals. PJ officers seized HK$2,100 in gaming chips, HK$28,000 in cash, and two mobile phones.
Chao also said that the three suspects said they had gambled away all of the money obtained through the offences.
The trio were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, each facing an illegal currency exchange charge.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the three hooded illegal currency exchange suspects to PJ vans outside the PJ headquarters in Zape on Friday. – Photos: Armindo Neves
