The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a man from the Chinese mainland on Thursday for possessing and distributing counterfeit slot machine vouchers on Wednesday and Thursday, PJ spokesman Cheong Kim Fong said during a special press conference on Friday.
Cheong identified the suspect as a 32-year-old unemployed man surnamed Li. Cheong also noted that four victims—one man and three women, all from the Chinese mainland—were involved in the case.
According to Cheong, on Wednesday and Thursday, the four victims purchased slot machine vouchers with face values ranging from HK33,000 (33,9710 patacas) to HK36,000 from strangers in various casinos. However, when they attempted to redeem the vouchers, they discovered that they were all counterfeit. Cheong added that the victims subsequently reported the matter to the Judiciary Police, with total losses amounting to 117,616 yuan. Following an investigation, PJ officers identified Li, who is believed to be responsible for manufacturing the fake vouchers.
On Thursday afternoon, PJ officers arrested Li at a casino in Zape. Officers seized a mobile phone and 12 counterfeit slot machine vouchers – with face values ranging from HK3,000 to HK36,000 – from him.
Cheong noted that the counterfeit vouchers were created using genuine vouchers from various casino operators as templates, which were digitally reproduced with the face values enlarged. Although the paper quality and fonts of the counterfeits differ from those of genuine vouchers, members of the public who fail to examine them closely could easily be deceived, according to Cheong.
Li was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, where he faces charges of fraud and document forgery.
Meanwhile, Cheong said that the Judiciary Police were intensifying their efforts to apprehend other accomplices involved in using fake vouchers to commit fraud.
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) on Friday shows evidence seized from the counterfeit slot machine vouchers suspect surnamed Li.
