Recently, the Judiciary Police busted a criminal syndicate formed by security personnel of an integrated resort in the Cotai district, arresting a total of 17 individuals involved. The case was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for investigation. Four suspects are now under preventive detention, while the remaining suspects have been adopted other statutory coercive measures.
Preliminary investigation revealed that since early last year, the criminal group allegedly solicited “protection fees” and “case-settlement fees” under the guise of providing protection to individuals engaging in gaming-related crimes in a Cotai integrated resort. In exchange, the group harboured and released offenders without reporting relevant illegal acts to the police. The group accumulated illicit gains exceeding HKD 1.4 million.
Following the hearing, the Criminal Preliminary Hearing Court found strong indication of the suspects committing the following crimes respectively: “triad society” stipulated and penalized under article 2 of Law No. 6/97/M - Organized Crime Law, “coercion” under article 148, “extortion” under article 215 and “personal favouritism” under article 331 of the Macao Penal Code. Taking into account factors such as nature and severity of the crime, modus operandi, risks of the suspects fleeing and continuing to engage in similar criminal activities, the Criminal Preliminary Hearing Court adopted the MP’s proposal and ordered the coercive measure of preventive detention against 4 suspects. As for the remaining 13 suspects, the judicial authority imposed other statutory coercive measures on them in accordance with the law.
Pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Code, the MP will continue to direct subsequent investigation.
The MP hereby urges integrated resorts, leisure enterprises and their security personnel to diligently maintain order and safety on their premises, deter all forms of illegal acts and cooperate with the police in law enforcement. The security personnel concerned abused their positions to solicit “protection fees” and “case-settlement fees” from suspects implicated in gaming-related crimes. Such acts not only crossed the red line of the rule of law, but also seriously tarnished Macao’s image as a “world centre of tourism and leisure”. The MP will resolutely crack down on all illegal criminal activities jeopardizing public order and security, and hold offenders criminally liable in accordance with the law.