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Macao is currently considering categorizing illegal currency exchange near casinos as a criminal offense within its jurisdiction. This announcement was made by Wong Siu Kei, the Director-General of Macao's Public Security Police Force, during a crime statistics press conference in the first half of 2023.
Wong emphasized the detrimental impact of illegal currency exchange on casino security and the surrounding communities, citing its frequent association with additional criminal activities such as fraud, unlawful detention, assaults, and even murder.
While most customers come from mainland China, Macao casinos primarily use the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) as the Renminbi (RMB) amounts that can be transferred across the border from mainland China are restricted. The Macao Prosecutor's Office currently classifies currency exchange as private transactions and includes them in the city's financial regulatory framework rather than pursuing criminal charges.
According to data from the Macao Public Security Police Force, in the first half of this year, crimes related to HKD increased by 110% compared to the previous year, reaching 422 cases, whereas there were only 198 cases in the first half of 2022. A total of 8,124 illegal currency exchange operators were identified, marking a 200% increase, with 488 individuals being informed that they would no longer be allowed entry to casinos. |
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Post time 1-10-2023 10:24:49
