Macau’s Judiciary Police have dismantled an illegal money exchange operation at a jewelry store inside a Cotai casino, uncovering transactions totaling nearly HK$40 million ($5.1 million) and arresting a local female employee in connection with the scheme.
According to Macau Daily, the suspect allegedly used her position as a sales assistant to facilitate unlawful money exchanges for gamblers. The operation allowed patrons to convert funds through unregulated channels before entering the casino floor.
Police said officers acted on intelligence and conducted surveillance on the morning of February 9th. Investigators observed the suspect scanning a QR code displayed by a male middle-aged mainland Chinese patron using her mobile phone before handing over Hong Kong dollar cash. The man then proceeded directly to the gaming floor.
Both individuals were taken in for questioning. Police said the suspect had exchanged RMB1,726 ($249) for HK$1,800 ($230) on the day of the operation. Further investigation indicated that the jewelry store had allegedly been operating the illegal exchange service since April last year, handling close to HK$40 million ($5.1 million) in unauthorized transactions and generating illicit profits of about RMB1.35 million ($195,000).
During the operation, officers seized HK$95,400 ($12,200) in cash, one laptop, and three mobile phones from the premises. Investigators are continuing to trace other individuals involved, including the store’s owner.
The case has been classified under the offense of “operating illegal currency exchange for gambling purposes” and has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for further handling.
The incident comes amid intensified enforcement against illegal money exchange. According to official data, police recorded 2,314 gaming-related criminal investigations in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 62.6 percent. Authorities attributed the surge mainly to the criminalization of illegal money exchange linked to gambling and improvements in statistical reporting methods.
