Earlier today, Chau Wai Kuong, who is currently taking the position of a director of Macau’s Judiciary Police, stated that a total of 3,023 casino-related crimes were recorded on the territory of the administrative region back in 2014. These include abduction, extortion, usury, etc.
Offences like these are typically related to gambling practices known as loan sharking. Generally speaking, a loan shark is a person who offers loans to others at impossibly high interest rates.
Mr. Chau shared with local media that the rise in the number of criminal offences is probably closely related to what experts considered an adjustment phase in Macau’s gambling industry as well as the more stringent measures police took not long ago.
As previously reported, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out during his two-day visit in Macau back in December 2014 that the city should monitor players’ activity within the premises of local casinos more closely.
Yesterday, it was announced that Macau’s revenue from gambling has marked a significant drop for eighth consecutive month. According to the official data that was released, local casinos generated turnover of MOP23.75 billion or US$2.97 billion in January. In other words, it decreased 17.4% as compared to what was posted a year ago.
Mr. Chau commented that the downtrend in local gambling industry might have contributed to an increase in casino-related law offences in 2014. Yet, according to local media, he refused to dwell further on the topic.
According to the information that local police released earlier today, a total of 96 reports of extortion were filed last year. By comparison, there were 36 cases in 2013. What is more, as many as 208 cases of illegal moneylending were reported in 2014, which is 20.2% more than the cases in 2013. It is also important to note that the interest rates at which the money was lent were extremely high.
Macau’s Judiciary Police also gave information about the abductions that occurred in the administrative region during the past 12 months. A total of 71 cases of abduction were recorded. By comparison, there were only 39 cases in 2013.
Wong Sio Chak, the city’s new Secretary for Security, said in January that local police is to reinforce surveillance in the gambling venues and the neighboring areas. Mr. Wong pointed out that the government of Macau will expect from the gambling operators that manage casinos on its territory to be cooperative, so as for illegal activities to be prevented from taking place at casino and hotel venues.
