Macau’s Judiciary Police (PJ) have arrested three local jewellery shop employees for allegedly engaging in unlawful lending and illegal money exchange activities tied to gambling in the Cotai area.
According to authorities, the arrests stemmed from a report received by the Public Security Police (PSP) in the early hours of October 5th regarding a dispute inside an integrated resort in Cotai. Responding officers discovered that a mainland Chinese man had been facilitating credit card cash-out transactions at a jewellery shop located within a nearby hotel. The case was subsequently handed over to the Judiciary Police for further investigation.
Investigators found that the store, which began operating in February 2024, posed as a legitimate jewellery retailer while secretly conducting fraudulent transactions to help clients cash out through credit card purchases. Since the implementation of the new Law on Combating Illegal Gambling Crimes, the shop’s recorded transaction volume exceeded HK$27 million ($3.46 million), generating at least HK$540,000 ($69,000) in illicit profits, police said.
Three suspects — a 48-year-old store manager and two sales staff, aged between 32 and 48 — all local residents, were taken into custody. Officers also seized a money-counting machine and MOP430,000 ($53,300) in cash during the operation.
The investigation revealed links to cross-border “money exchangers.” One mainland suspect, already under prosecution, allegedly introduced a casino patron to an illegal lender. When the loan arrangement fell through, the lender reportedly advised the patron to participate in a credit card cash-out scheme at the jewellery shop, offering a 10 percent commission. The patron conducted transactions worth RMB41,500 ($5,720) and received HK$6,000 ($770) as payment before a dispute with the lender led to police involvement.
Authorities are continuing to trace the jewellery shop owner and other individuals believed to be connected to the operation. The case has been forwarded to the Public Prosecutions Office for further legal action.
