Police authorities urge gaming operators to improve security followings serious incidents

Macau (MNA) – The Gaming Inspection and Co-ordination Bureau (DICJ) and the Judiciary Police (PJ) held a meeting with the six gaming concessionaires and sub-concessionaires operating in Macau, urging for more collaboration with law enforcement authorities and the reinforcement of security measures in casinos.

Police authorities called for the meeting after last week saw two high-profile criminal incidents taking place at the Cotai strip, namely, a fight between two rival prostitution gangs that resulted in the death of a 40-year old Chinese man, and a violent theft of HKD3 million (MOP3.1 million/US$382,254) in gaming chips being from a casino at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Previously, the Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak had indicated that criminal cases linked to the gaming industry had increased 14.1 per cent year-on-year in the first three months of 2019.

Violent crimes went up by 8.3 per cent to 157, with kidnapping cases – generally connected to loan shark group debt collections – went up 34.4 per cent to 82 cases in the first quarter.

The gaming operators held the meeting with the DICJ Director Paulo Martins Chan, the DICJ Deputy Director, Leong Man Ion, the DICJ Head of the Department of Gaming Inspection, Joe Vong, plus the PJ Head of the Department of Investigation of Gaming Crimes, Luís Leong.

In the meeting Luís Leong stated that police authorities have been attentive to security inside and outside the casinos and have been reinforcing patrols in these areas this year.

He also indicated that PJ has set a 24-hour hotline which gaming concessionairescan use emergency situations.

The PJ Head of the Department of Investigation of Gaming Crimes also considered gaming operators should take appropriate measures to protect their workers and managers and provide a better response in emergency situations.

PJ also offered to provide vocational training courses whenever the concessionaires require, to ensure joint security in casinos.