CRIME: (illegal changers) II
dez25
Hike in illegal gambling cases related to illicit currency exchange, PJ clarifies
The increase in cases related to “Illegal Gambling” reported late last week by the Secretary for Security, Chan Tsz King, is not directly associated with illegal betting or any gaming activity inside or outside the casinos, the Judiciary Police (PJ) clarified in response to an inquiry from the Times.
In the report on crime in Macau between January and September this year, the number of cases under the “Illegal Gaming” category increased by 985%, rising from 40 in the same period in 2024 to 434 this year.
The PJ clarified in a written response to the Times that the rise is related to cases of illicit currency exchange, meaning instances where individuals were found offering currency exchange to casino patrons, both inside and outside casino venues.
The PJ further explained that these cases are counted under this category “because the ‘Law on Illegal Gambling Activities,’ which came into effect in October 2024, added the crime of ‘illegal currency exchange for gambling.’”
According to the same response, “The police have initiated 361 related cases in the first three quarters of 2025, which is the primary reason for the significant rise in the figure.”
The force further explained that the “Illegal Gambling” category refers to crimes regulated under Law No. 20/2024, the Law on Illegal Gambling Activities.
However, for statistical purposes, the crime of “illegal money lending for gambling purposes” under Article 10 of the same law is not included, as it falls under Article 219, “Usury,” of the Penal Code.
They also remarked that, according to Article 7 of the ‘Law on Illegal Gambling Activities,’ “The operation of online games of chance or mutual betting” is expressly and autonomously stipulated as a criminal offense for the act of operating, promoting, or organizing, without authorization, online games of chance or online betting in Macau.
The Secretary for Security also noted that, in relation to illegal currency exchange, there were 136 fraud cases attributable to this practice, a figure that has fallen significantly compared with 2024, when 363 cases of scams related to illicit currency exchange were detected during the same period.
In the past, this practice was considered one of the main challenges for police forces, as there was no clear legal framework to address it effectively, and it was reportedly a leading cause of homicides in Macau in previous years due to disputes arising from these transactions.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/hike-in-illegal-gambling-cases-related-to-illicit-currency-exchange-pj-clarifies.html
dez25
Gaming-related crime in Macau surged 70.1 percent in the first three quarters of 2025, with police recording 1,737 cases compared to 1,021 during the same period in 2024, Secretary for Security Chan Tsz King announced on December 12th.
The sharp increase was largely attributed to changes in statistical methodology following the implementation of new anti-illegal gambling legislation, rather than an actual deterioration in public security, Chan said.
He explained that the Anti-Illegal Gambling Crime Law, which took effect in October 2024, introduced a new offense of ‘operating illegal currency exchange for gambling purposes’ and prompted police to expand the statistical scope of gaming-related crimes. Previously, fraud cases involving illegal money exchangers outside casinos were often not classified as gaming-related crimes because their link to gambling could not be definitively established. With the criminalization of such activities, all related cases are now included in gaming crime statistics, resulting in a numerical increase.
Despite rising gaming-related crime figures, Chan stressed that Macau’s overall public security situation remains stable. Total criminal cases fell 7.1 percent year-on-year to 10,058 cases during the January to September period. Violent crime, theft, robbery, fraud, and computer-related crimes all recorded declines.
Serious violent crime levels remained particularly low, with 187 cases recorded in the first three quarters, down 11 percent from a year earlier. Cases of kidnapping, homicide, and serious assault continued to register zero or minimal occurrences. Police detained 4,475 individuals during criminal investigations and operations, representing an 8.8 percent increase from 2024.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/14/12/2025/gaming-related-crime-in-macau-rises-70-in-first-three-quarters-of-2025/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=915dd74665-AGB%3A+%2302288+Monday%2C+15th+December%2C+2025&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-915dd74665-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302288+Monday%2C+15th+December%2C+2025%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-915dd74665-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=915dd74665&mc_eid=31e20475e6
dez25
Cotai jewellery shop accused of running HK$190 mln currency exchange scheme
A jewellery shop inside a Cotai casino resort has been exposed for allegedly operating an illegal currency‑exchange business, leading to the arrest of two local salesmen and the detention of two mainland gamblers as witnesses.
According to a Thursday announcement from the Judiciary Police, the shop is believed to have been providing such unlawful services to gamblers since July, with transactions amounting to HK$190 million (MOP194.5 million / RMB172.48 million / US$24.4 million).
The authorities announced that a profit of HK$5.8 million had been generated. A manhunt is now on to identify the whereabouts of the shop owner.
The two residents arrested, aged 30 and 29 respectively, both claimed to be working as salespeople receiving fixed monthly pay.
Investigators believe they facilitated illegal exchanges for gamblers seeking Hong Kong dollars. Meanwhile, the two mainland Chinese witnesses were described as middle‑aged men.
Police said that they received tip-offs in mid‑November over the alleged service. During their operation, officers observed two male gamblers exchanging money at the shop before heading directly to the gaming floor.
The arrests were made at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday.
A police investigation showed that the gamblers had exchanged renminbi for Hong Kong dollars via QR‑code transfers, such as RMB1,000 for HK$1,000, or RMB 19,000 for HK$20,000, before using the cash for gambling purposes.
It was found that the jewellery shop began operating in August last year and may have started the alleged exchange services earlier than July.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/cotai-jewellery-shop-accused-of-running-hk190-mln-currency-exchange-scheme/
out25 COMO FUNCIONA
Macau’s Judiciary Police said in a Friday briefing that officers had arrested four local people in connection with a turnover of MOP45-million (US$5.6-million) in illegal money exchange, tied to a “jewellery” shop in the Cotai district of the city. Neither the location of the outlet nor its name, were identified.
The four Macau residents – ranging in age from 30 to 61 – were said to be staff at the shop.
Police assessed the illicit profit from the money exchange operation at MOP1.5 million.
The authorities seized HKD890,000 (US$114,550) and CNY22,000 (US$3,089) in cash at the premises, thought to be tied to the alleged money-swap activity.
According to Friday’s briefing, the police had received intelligence in April about unlicensed money exchange for gambling purposes at the shop – a crime under Macau’s “Law to Combat Crimes of Illegal Gambling”.
Police believed the outlet began operating in 2023. The law to make unlicensed money exchange for gambling, came into effect in October 2024. The authorities therefore calculated the relevant illicit turnover and profit in the period since then.
Earlier this month, the Judiciary Police said they had investigated a “jewellery” shop in Cotai for involvement in illicit money exchange for gamblers. Four people – three locals and one a resident of the Chinese mainland – were detained.
The shop mentioned in an October 8 briefing – also not identified – was believed to have helped gamblers with cash advances from “bogus transactions”.
The shop in the October 6 enforcement action was believed to have generated MOP27 million in turnover and at least MOP540,000 in illicit profit from its one year of operation. The police said at the time it was probing how much of that was generated in relation to money-exchange business.
https://www.ggrasia.com/four-macau-locals-held-in-alleged-us5-6mln-money-exchange-case-tied-to-cotai-shop?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=four-macau-locals-held-in-alleged-us5-6mln-money-exchange-case-tied-to-cotai-shop
ut25
Investigations into gambling-related crimes are up 134 percent
- The sharp rise has coincided with a new law coming in effect, reflecting the authorities’ crackdown on illegal money exchanges
- Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong revealed the figure this week, marking the start of the 2025-26 Judicial Year
- https://macaonews.org/news/city/macau-gambling-crimes/
set25
Gambling crime experienced a year-on-year rise of 66.8 per cent in the first half of 2025, totalling 1,139, up by 456.
According to a media conference headed by Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak, the increase in crime was due to heightened attention to unauthorised money exchange offences.
In the first half alone, 240 such cases were logged, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the total gaming crimes reported in the same period in 2024.
A new law against illicit gambling offences became effective last October, criminalising currency exchange activity in the territory.
Between January and June, a total of 410 money touts were intercepted in police operations, down by 1,805 compared to the same period last year.
The police authorities said that there was a considerable fall of 81.5 per cent by comparison.
406 of the intercepted have been arrested, with nearly MOP60 million in cash or chips found.
In addition, unauthorised lending and detention for gaming reasons continued to wane in the first half, at 101 and 13, respectively – down 17.2 per cent and 43.5 per cent respectively.
According to the authorities, these offences used to dominate the caseload in the past, but have in recent years declined amid strengthened efforts and action from the police.
As for gradual satellite casino closures, the secretary said that no public security issue in relation to them has so far been observed.
The security authorities will continue to closely monitor the situation, he added.
In terms of numbers, fraud was found to have outnumbered other crimes at 297, accounting for 26 per cent – followed by unauthorised currency exchange at 240, about 21 per cent.
During this first-half period, 1,348 suspects were caught for gaming-related offences, 14.7 per cent of whom were locals. Non-locals accounted for 85.3 per cent.
When it came to victims, 63 of the 671 held a local ID, or about 9.4 per cent of the total.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/gambling-related-crime-surges-over-66-pct-in-first-half/
set25
Apesar de considerar que o espaço de actuação para o crime de troca ilegal de dinheiro “tem vindo a ser mais reduzido nos últimos meses”, o Secretário para a Segurança alerta que o combate a estas actividades se deverá manter “como um desafio a longo prazo”. Segundo Wong Sio Chak, “alguns dos indivíduos que se dedicam a essa actividade adoptaram métodos mais ocultos para praticar o crime”, o que dificulta o trabalho das autoridades. Desde Outubro do ano passado, a PJ já deteve quase 600 pessoas envolvidas em câmbio ilegal
https://jtm.com.mo/local/crimes-de-cambio-ilegal-metodos-mais-ocultos/
ag25
Meios electrónicos “mais comuns” na transferência de fundos ilícitos
Apesar de a “troca de fichas sem/com reduzida actividade de jogo” liderar pelo segundo ano consecutivo o topo da tabela de características dos Relatórios de Transacções Suspeitas, a verdade é que a “utilização de bancos online/transacções relacionadas com a Internet” foi aquela que registou “um aumento mais significativo” em 2024, segundo o Gabinete de Informação Financeira, tendo-se verificado 555 casos. O organismo diz que é sinal de que “é cada vez mais comum a transferência de fundos ilícitos através da tecnologia electrónica”. No cômputo geral, chegaram ao GIF um total de 5.245 STR, reflectindo um aumento anual de 13,7% e de 78,3% em relação ao período pré-pandemia
https://jtm.com.mo/local/meios-electronicos-mais-comuns-na-transferencia-de-fundos-ilicitos/
ago25
Macau police bust alleged US$38mln criminal ring led by locals, said to be involved in illicit foreign exchange for gambling
An alleged criminal gang led by Macau locals dealt with up to HKD300-million (US$38.2-million) worth of unlicensed money exchange on behalf of gamblers, and made more than HKD10 million in profits from it. That is according to a Tuesday media briefing by Macau’s Judiciary Police, and reported by local Chinese-language media. The police action was on Monday.
Unlicensed money exchange for gambling purposes was criminalised in Macau on October 29 last year, via enactment of the “Law to Combat Crimes of Illegal Gambling”.
The Monday operation saw the arrest of four Macau residents, all male and aged from 30 to 32, outlined the police briefing, as reported by local media.
The suspects were believed to be part of a criminal group that provided unlicensed money exchange services to gamblers beginning in November 2023, and had allegedly handled HKD300-million-worth of such illegal business since October last year, and made more than HKD10 million in profits, said the local media outlets, citing the police.
Gaming patrons were thought by the authorities to have been provided with money-swap services either in vehicles belonging to the suspects, or at casinos or inside hotel rooms.
Most bets in Macau casinos are denominated in Hong Kong dollars, and a majority of visitors to Macau is from the Chinese mainland, and may have their assets denominated primarily in China’s currency, the yuan.
The Judiciary Police have filed charges of membership of a criminal group and operating illegal foreign exchange for gambling purposes against the four detained suspects. The police are still investigating whether there might be other suspects at large.
The case has been sent to Macau’s Public Prosecutions Office.
https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-police-bust-alleged-us38mln-criminal-ring-led-by-locals-said-to-be-involved-in-illicit-foreign-exchange-for-gambling?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=macau-police-bust-alleged-us38mln-criminal-ring-led-by-locals-said-to-be-involved-in-illicit-foreign-exchange-for-gambling
jul25
2024 criminal caseload hits historic high
Macau prosecutors handled the highest annual caseload of criminal filings last year, with a year-on-year growth of 13.7 per cent registered.
According to a 2024 report from the Public Prosecutions Office, the city’s prosecutors handled 15,840 cases last year, compared to 13,931 the year before.
About 93 per cent of the 2024 total cases were closed, up 18 per cent from the previous year.
Most cases logged without charges
However, only 23 per cent led to prosecutions, with the majority of the cases, 10,622, said to have been closed without any further pursuit.
It was for reasons including a lack of evidence, victims’ refusal to pursue their cases, and failures to identify alleged perpetrators.
The bulk of cases archived without charges soared by a whopping 20.59 per cent.
Offences worth attention
Crimes that took place in the cyberspace soared nearly 84 per cent to reach 981.
Theft, robbery, property damage, lumped into the same category, made up the biggest share at 4,946, up 17 per cent.
Criminal offences associated with harming bodily integrity also registered a year-on-year hike of 22 per cent to 1,696.
Another category of crimes that saw a massive jump included illegal gambling, totalling 437, up by a staggering 163 per cent.
The office pointed out that fraud cases alone appeared to be spreading untamed, accounting for one-sixth of the total cases constituted— also the most dominant since 2021.
Legal violations related to gambling also showed a rising trajectory since 2023 when the city started to re-embrace tourism unrestricted.
Latest information from the office shows that there are a total of 40 prosecutors in Macau, including one prosecutor general, and seven assistant prosecutors general.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/2024-criminal-caseload-hits-historic-high/
jul25
O Dia da Polícia Judiciária (PJ) foi comemorado pela corporação na sexta-feira. Na cerimónia, o director chamou a atenção para os esforços da PJ na prevenção dos crimes de burla, no combate às “actividades de espionagem e à interferência externa” e no âmbito da segurança nacional. A criminalidade geral registou um decréscimo nos primeiros meses do ano. “A ordem pública e a situação da criminalidade continuam estáveis e sob controlo”, referiu o responsável.
Sit Chong Meng adiantou que, entre Janeiro e Maio deste ano, foram instaurados 5.843 processos criminais, uma descida de 1,1% em relação ao mesmo período do ano passado; 2.858 foram processos de inquérito e denúncia, representando uma diminuição de 11,1%. O número total dos processos concluídos foi de 6.379, mais 25,1%, e foram encaminhados para os órgãos judiciais 1.641 indivíduos, o que representa um aumento de 17,6%. O director da PJ também assinalou que nos primeiros cinco meses do ano se registaram 269 casos de furto, menos 27,1% face ao mesmo período do ano passado.
A PJ, indicou o director, “aumentou a mobilização policial para divulgar aos lojistas e outras pessoas informações acerca da prevenção de furto, estabeleceu uma nova relação de cooperação com o sector de aviação, pretendendo-se com diversas medidas prevenir os furtos nas aeronaves e ainda, optimizou o mecanismo de investigação visando combater com mais eficácia o crime continuado como furtos em residência e em autocarro, impedindo assim a propagação dessa criminalidade”.
CRIMINALIDADE NO SECTOR DO JOGO COM AUMENTO SIGNIFICATIVO
Apesar de a criminalidade geral ter diminuído, os casos ligados ao sector do jogo deram um salto de 62,9% para 943 processos. Segundo Sit Chong Meng, o principal motivo da subida foi a entrada em vigor da lei de combate aos crimes de jogo ilícito.
O director da PJ sublinhou que foi reforçada a recolha de informações, análise de dados e a cooperação com os sectores “para o combate proactivo nas actividades de empréstimo ilícito”, tendo sido registados 83 casos de empréstimo ilícito e dez de sequestros, o que representa uma descida de 20,2% e 41,2%, respectivamente. No que diz respeito às burlas relacionadas com o jogo foram registados 251 casos, um aumento de 93,1% face ao período homólogo devido ao facto dessas burlas estarem relacionadas com os burlões de troca de dinheiro e por, a partir deste ano, essas burlas de troca de dinheiro terem sido incluídas nas estatísticas de crimes relacionados com o jogo.
No âmbito da repressão dos crimes relacionados com droga, entre Janeiro e Maio deste ano, a PJ instaurou 22 processos de tráfico e dez de consumo. “Apesar de a taxa de incidência dos crimes relacionados com a droga continuar a manter um nível baixo, a PJ continua atenta, persistindo nas directrizes de enfatizar a informação, intensificar o combate, sensibilizar contra a droga e dar impulso às tecnologias, aprofundar a interacção com as autoridades policiais locais e além fronteiras e a cooperação policial”, sublinhou Sit, sublinhando que “os trabalhos de execução da lei obtiveram resultados notórios”.
COMBATE ÀS BURLAS COM “RESULTADOS NOTÁVEIS”
Já os casos de burla, entre Janeiro e Maio, “diminuíram ainda mais, o que mostra que a consciência do público sobre prevenção de burla está a melhorar”, disse o director da PJ.
Registaram-se 121 casos de burla telefónica, o que representa uma diminuição de 27,1% em relação ao período homólogo; 228 casos de burla com internet, diminuíram 29%; e 205 casos de compra online com uso ilícito de cartão de crédito, decresceram 7,2%.
Contudo, nos finais de Abril deste ano, surgiu o primeiro caso de burla envolvendo tecnologia de Inteligência Artificial Deepfake em Macau. Desde o início de Abril, dispararam as burlas que simulam chamadas do serviço de atendimento de plataformas de pagamento online, causando prejuízos a mais de 100 pessoas, “o que evidenciou que o trabalho antiburla está ainda a enfrentar desafios duradouros”, ressalvou o responsável da PJ.
“A PJ empenha-se em aperfeiçoar o modo de prevenção-controlo que conjuga a prevenção, recuperação e combate, e desenvolve o trabalho antiburla com recurso a várias medidas”, referiu, acrescentando que, em Maio deste ano, o Centro de Coordenação de Combate às Burlas 3.0 entrou em pleno funcionamento com o trabalho de luta contra a burla baseado na tecnologia a entrar numa nova etapa. Também se registaram mais de 17.000 acessos ao miniprograma anti-burla no WeChat nos primeiros cinco meses deste ano. Durante o mesmo período, em colaboração com as empresas operadoras de telecomunicações, foram bloqueados atempadamente 263 webs de ‘phishing’.
Quanto à recuperação do dinheiro burlado e dos prejuízos, no primeiro trimestre deste ano, com o apoio do sector bancário de Macau, conseguiu-se impedir e parar o pagamento em 131 casos, que envolviam um montante superior a 25 milhões de patacas, e, no mesmo período, a PJ informou os bancos sobre 249 contas suspeitas. Além disso, a polícia da China continental congelou ali 32 contas bancárias com base na comunicação da PJ e interceptou com sucesso 440.000 renminbis.
“A PJ adopta uma atitude de tolerância zero e está totalmente empenhada em investigar casos deste género”, afirmou Sit Chong Meng, assinalando que, nos primeiros cinco meses, foram detidos 98 membros de grupos fraudulentos.
INTENSIFICADO TRABALHO CONTRA ESPIONAGEM E INTERFERÊNCIA EXTERNA
O director da PJ assegurou que a corporação que lidera “cumpriu rigorosamente as exigências de trabalho estabelecidas pela Comissão de Defesa da Segurança do Estado da RAEM e pelo superior hierárquico”, tendo realizado “cabalmente” o trabalho de execução da lei relativo à segurança do Estado, e intensificado o trabalho de execução no âmbito do combate às “actividades de espionagem e à interferência externa e do alerta para o combate ao terrorismo”. Procedeu-se também à avaliação de riscos de segurança, “os quais conseguiu resolver atempadamente”.
Perante a actual situação “cada vez mais grave”, a PJ “mantém o pensamento baseado em pressupostos de situações mais desfavoráveis e a consciencialização do perigo, defendendo de forma empenhada a segurança nacional e a estabilidade da RAEM”, vincou Sit Chong Meng. “A PJ promoveu, de forma profunda e sólida, a divulgação e educação sobre a segurança nacional, empenhando-se em consolidar um bom ambiente social em que as gentes de Macau têm e devem assumir responsabilidades relativas à defesa da segurança nacional”, sublinhou o director.
O director da PJ adiantou ainda que, nos primeiros cinco meses deste ano, o Centro de Alerta e Resposta a Incidentes de Cibersegurança (CARIC) enviou 97 mensagens de alerta aos operadores das infraestruturas críticas, uma descida de 12%, face ao período homólogo do ano anterior, e recebeu e acompanhou nove casos de incidentes de cibersegurança, um dos quais se tratou de ataque cibernético, o que representa uma diminuição de quatro casos, “mostrando que a situação manteve-se estável e tendeu para um rumo positivo”.
https://pontofinal-macau.com/2025/07/14/pj-destaca-diminuicao-da-criminalidade-e-diz-que-combate-as-burlas-obteve-resultados-notaveis/
jul25
Macau’s Judiciary Police force recorded a 62.9-percent year-on-year increase in the number of gaming-related crimes it investigated in the first five months of this year. The rise was mainly driven by cases of gaming-related unlicensed money exchange, said Judiciary Police director Sit Chong Meng, in a Friday briefing.
The Judiciary Police looked at 943 gaming-related crime cases in the January to May period, with 204 of them – or 21.6 percent – being linked to unlicensed money exchange for gambling purposes, added the official.
Mr Sit also noted that his department had investigated 251 gaming-related fraud cases in the period, up 93.1 percent from the year-earlier period.
Unlicensed money exchange for gambling purposes was criminalised via the “Law to Combat Crimes of Illegal Gambling”, in effect from October 29 last year.
At the Friday briefing, Mr Sit mentioned the Judiciary Police had arrested a total of 481 individuals in relation to 323 alleged cases of gaming-related unlicensed money exchange, in a period spanning October last year to May this year.
Macau’s Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, said in a press briefing at the end of May, that the Law to Combat Crimes of Illegal Gambling had been “effective” in addressing gaming-related unlicensed money exchange.
Such money-changing is considered a criminal matter if Macau’s authorities assess it is being pursued as a trade activity, regardless of whether it takes place in or outside casinos, according to article 11 of the law.
A penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment can be imposed on those found guilty of that offence, the law says. They also face a Macau casino-entry ban of “two to 10 years”.
https://www.ggrasia.com/unlicensed-money-exchange-drove-macau-gaming-crime-stats-in-jan-may-period-police?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unlicensed-money-exchange-drove-macau-gaming-crime-stats-in-jan-may-period-police
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