Hong Kong police break up gambling syndicate, shut down 7 dens and arrest 46
- Force says those arrested include alleged ringleader and his wife, who are also accused of laundering HK$10 million in gambling proceeds
Hong Kong police have broken up a criminal syndicate after they rounded up 46 people and shut down its seven gambling dens which offered arcade machines with fishing games for betting.
The force said on Friday that the 31 men and 15 women, arrested the previous day, included the alleged ringleader and his wife, who were also accused of laundering about HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) in illicit gambling proceeds in a year.
Chief Inspector Chiu Peng-fai of the Mong Kok district crime squad said after an extensive financial investigation, police had frozen around HK$6.7 million in assets belonging to the couple.
He said police also impounded a seven-seater car, valued at about HK$410,000, which was bought by the 46-year-old ringleader with suspected crime proceeds.
“Investigations revealed that the criminal gang had recruited people from the same hometown in mainland China to come to Hong Kong as operators of gambling establishments,” Chiu said.
“The gang also arranged accommodation for these people to live in the city.”
