Police in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau have jointly cracked a case of illegal bookmaking, arresting 93 suspects. According to the Macau Judiciary Police, the illegal bookmaking syndicate has been in operation since 2016, with the amount of money involved in betting no less than MOP$1.08 billion (US$134 million).
The Macau Judiciary Police said 50 suspects, including two masterminds and nine key members of the syndicate, were arrested in Macau during the joint operation, and all of them were Macau residents. Mainland police also arrested 42 mainland suspects in the operation, while Hong Kong police arrested a Hong Kong man.
Authorities said the syndicate was discovered during a follow-up investigation into a 2022 money laundering case. The syndicate had been operating online gambling activities for many years and its members were located in Macau, Hong Kong and Guangdong.
Having launched a joint investigation through a co-operative mechanism, the respective police units found that the web server of the syndicate was set up overseas, and mainly received bets on football and basketball, including the Euro 2024 championships currently taking place in Germany. The syndicate attracted customers by offering higher odds, and even provided 24-hour on-line customer service.
Police said the syndicate has received more than MOP$72 million in illegal bets per week during Euro 2024, and it is estimated that bets received by the syndicate since its operation in 2016 have amounted to MOP$1.08 billion.
When the time was ripe, the police launched a joint operation on 29 June when more than 200 police officers were deployed to arrest 50 suspects at various residential units in Macau. They seized more than MOP$8 million (US$994,000) in cash, 103 mobile phones, 26 computers and other evidence.
The 50 suspects reported to the police that they worked as taxi drivers, salesmen, businessmen and gaming operators. Four of the suspects are currently serving prison sentences and are controlling the syndicate from a distance. In addition, one of the suspects, aged 29, is a customs officer. Macau Customs is now conducting an internal disciplinary investigation into the officer and has suspended him as a precautionary measure.
Mainland police arrested 42 suspects and seized about RMB80 million (US$11 million) in cash and more than 90 bank accounts during the operation, while Hong Kong police arrested a suspect who assisted the syndicate in receiving about HK$8 million in bets between June 2023 and March 2024 .
In the course of the investigation, the police also found that four suspects had set up an illegal casino in Macau, which offered Texas Hold’em poker and other betting services under the guise of a café.
Deputy Director of the Macau Judiciary Police, Sou Sio Keong, stated at a press conference that police from all three jurisdictions will continue to investigate the case and track down the fugitives.
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