Three cross-boundary drivers have been arrested for allegedly smuggling battery and food products at the Border Gate and the Hengqin checkpoints, the Macao Customs Service has disclosed.
During a four-day period from Aug. 17 to 20, the customs authority discovered three cases of alleged smuggling at the border checkpoints, seizing 37.84 kg of processed food, 340 kg of frozen beef, and 700 used batteries.
Charges have been pressed against the three drivers, and termination of their vehicles’ cross-boundary registration statuses has also been initiated.
All the three drivers said they had no cargo to declare but were later found to have hidden the cargo in compartments within their vehicles. The customs authority specifically highlighted that poor storage of batteries can lead to fires and present a threat to public safety. Meanwhile, transporting undeclared foods into Macau can pose food safety risks to the city.
In another case, a man has fallen victim to an illegal currency exchange and scam. On Aug. 18, the victim wanted to exchange RMB1.14 million for HKD1.2 million to use for gambling. He contacted an operator, who is currently at large, for the service. One suspect, a 33-year-old woman surnamed Zhang, confirmed that the victim had sufficient funds and asked another suspect, a 27-year-old man surnamed Wei, to pass eight wads of HKD cash to the victim. Meanwhile, the victim transferred the RMB equivalent to a designated account to close the deal.
While counting his money, the victim discovered marks printed on the notes indicating that the money was so-called ‘paper money’ used for training. He reached out to casino security guards for assistance. The Judiciary Police found another 799 similar paper notes on the two suspects, who denied knowing the nature of the counterfeit cash, adding that they were instructed to conduct the transaction in exchange for RMB500 for each person. The ‘paper money’ was brought into Macau from the Chinese mainland. AL
