Public security authorities across mainland China have recently launched a special deployment to crack down on crimes committed by Macau-based “Money Exchange Gang Members”, emphasizing that illegal money exchange operations have a serious impact on the stability of social security in the city.
The website of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China (MPS) released the latest information on Monday, revealing that national public security authorities held a meeting in Beijing on 27 May on the deployment of work to combat and rectify the illegal money exchange.
It stated, “In recent years, the scale of ‘Money Exchange Gang Members’ in Macau, which illegally provide individuals or organizations with large-value cash exchange and loan-sharking services, has been expanding rapidly, inducing fights, fraud, thefts, illegal immigration and other crimes, and seriously affecting the stability of social security in Macau.”
The website also noted that local public security authorities should strengthen cooperation with the Macau Police and launch a “vigorous offensive” against illegal crimes such as “money exchange gangs”.
“They should be quick to investigate and crack down on existing cases, make every effort to arrest fugitives, dig deeper into the clues of the cases, and identify the key members,” it said.
The website pointed out that “the black and gray industrial chain that provides support services for the fraudulent crimes of ‘money exchange gangs’ should be eradicated resolutely.
“We must be determined to crack down on underground money laundering and money laundering crimes, and identify the structure of the syndicates, the masterminds behind the scenes, and the channels of funds.”
Macau’s “money exchange gangs” have long been an issue of concern for local law enforcement agencies. According to police figures, for the first quarter of this year, the number of fraud crimes stemming from “money exchange gangs” reached 149, an increase of 112 and 107 compared to the first quarters of 2023 and 2019 respectively.
In recent years, there have been suggestions in Macau society that illegal money exchange related to gambling should be criminalized, and the government has also stated in the past that it would keep an open mind on the matter.
At present, illegal money exchange crimes in Macau are crimes in the financial system and are administrative offenses, mostly punishable by fines. If the suspects are not Macau residents, the police will usually repatriate them and prohibit them from re-entering the territory on the grounds of “engaging in activities that are incompatible with the status of a visitor”.
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