MACAU BETTING BUST THE BIGGEST YET

4 July 2008

Betting slips worth over $64 million seized


What is believed to be the biggest illegal betting bust yet in the region took place in Macau over the weekend when local police raided a suspected illegal gambling ring, confiscating $64 million in betting slips and arresting 6 as yet unnamed men - three resident in Hong Kong and three in Macau. Police also seized 320 000 Hong Kong dollars in cash, and took away for further investigation computers, telephones and a shredder.

The South China Daily Post reported that the syndicate is believed to have been headed by a Hong Kong resident linked to one of Macau's triad societies. Police told the newspaper that the syndicate, which had been running for up to three months, took bets on horse racing and football mainly from Hong Kong and Macau residents. They said up to 4 million Hong Kong dollars could have been wagered on each horse race held in Hong Kong and Macau.

The latest raid comes two weeks after another illegal gambling operation was broken in Macau, when police seized betting slips hours before the start of two matches in the Euro 2008 soccer tournament (see previous InfoPowa report).

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