Hong Kong police arrest 12 in crackdown on HK$250 million illegal gambling ring
Cambodia-based bookmaking syndicate used a flat in Tseung Kwan O as its operational centre in Hong Kong, insider says
A source familiar with the case said on Wednesday the Cambodia-based gambling ring rented a flat in Tseung Kwan O in March to use as its operations centre in the city, in partnership with the Wo Shing Wo triad gang.
The insider said the syndicate used more than 600 stooge accounts to collect funds from illegal bets and launder the crime proceeds in an effort to avoid arousing suspicion from banks due to frequent transactions.
He said some of the account holders were domestic helpers who were paid thousands of Hong Kong dollars a month to rent or sell their bank accounts to the syndicate.
Chief Inspector Wu Hoi-ling of the Kowloon East technology and financial crime unit said intelligence revealed the racket began operating in February last year, focusing primarily on Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries.
She said the syndicate set up an overseas gambling website offering games such as baccarat, slot machines, fishing games, lotteries and horse racing.