On Wednesday 19 people living in mainland China were arrested by Macau’s Judiciary Police. They were suspected to be the masterminds behind an illegal VIP gambling room in a hotel located in the city.
The criminals were scamming the potential players to take part in the scheme as well. TDM, Macau’s public broadcaster announced that the hotel in question is located in the NAPE district, but its name remains undisclosed for the time being. The 19 arrested suspects who took part in the illicit activity have allegedly developed a whole plan how to run the VIP gambling room in the most efficient way and each one of them had a designated role in the operation.
They were playing the roles as dealers, security guards, VIP hosts, VIP room operators and gamblers. At the time of the raid which the Macau Judiciary Police performed there were also four customers present in the venue. The illicit activities were suspected to be going on for the last two years and the Judiciary Police has been suspecting them and closely observing. Getting to learn the criminals’ habits is vital when policemen are trying to catch them at the crime scene while they are performing their unlawful act.
In this case, the conspirators have been operating illicit VIP gambling rooms in numerous locations in Macau and they have been very inventive when it comes to the way they were able to perform the criminal action. They were doctoring card shoes and transforming them in a way which will turn the results in the house’s advantage. They were always making the most of the situation and leaving the customers with smaller winnings or nothing. This practice could not be left without consequences and this is how the authorities received the knowledge that there is something illegal going on.
Macao Daily News, the Chinese-language newspaper, recently reported that a mainland China resident reported the crime to the police in June this year, with the claim that there is a VIP room set up in a hotel room, which is attracting gamblers with promises of big prizes. Mainland residents of all ages have been lured to play there and try their luck, but to no avail, because of the doctoring of the cards shoes which had been done.
According to the reports, at least five people have been victims of these schemes and owe debts to the people arrested by the police. Investigations are still going on in order to find out if there are more people involved in the criminal scheme. The police are looking for any alleged conspirators still out there.
