Macao police arrest 2 more for suspected gambling crime

MACAO, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Police in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have detained two more men suspected of being involved in a gambling crime group related to a criminal case cracked in November 2021.

The 49-year-old and 34-year-old Macao men, surnamed Chan and Choi respectively, have claimed to be businessmen, but were found to run and provide help to the criminal group allegedly involved in illegal gambling and money laundering, the Judiciary Police under the Macao SAR government said on Sunday.

The police said they have found substantial evidence in the men's residences and offices, including computers, servers and cash worth around 4.1 million Hong Kong dollars (about 526,000 U.S. dollars).

The two men have refused to cooperate or answer questions, the police added.

Evidence showed that the suspected criminal group has taken part in illegal activities with another group involved in the same case, the police said. More details are yet to be released.

In November 2021, Macao police arrested 11 people suspected of being engaged in a criminal group for illegal gambling and money laundering, including a businessman surnamed Chao. The case was later referred for prosecution.