Alleged human trafficking case subject to judicial confidentiality

Information about an alleged case of human trafficking that occurred in Macau during the first half of this year is off-limits to the media due to “judicial confidentiality proceedings,” a representative from the Office of the Secretary for Security told the Times.

In mid-July, during a press conference on the activities of the security forces and law enforcement, Secretary for Security Chan Tsz King unveiled data showing that between January and June, there was one detected case of “human trafficking for the purpose of slavery.”

This figure contrasts with the zero cases reported in 2025. Still, no additional information was shared about the case, including when it was detected, by whom, or how many people were involved (victims and suspects), among other details.

The case, which, given the type of crime involved, seems serious, was also not reported in the daily joint press conferences held by the police forces, prompting the Times to question the authorities on the matter.

In response to the Times, the Office of the Secretary for Security said only, “The figures published in the report are those provided by the police. As this case is currently subject to judicial confidentiality proceedings, we are not authorized, nor do we have further information available, to provide additional details at this stage.”

When asked the same questions, the Judiciary Police did not respond.

Macau has frequently been mentioned in reports by both the U.S. Department of State and the European Union (EU) regarding human trafficking, with the EU in some cases praising the local government’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking, including law amendments, training sessions, public awareness campaigns, and increased cooperation with mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, among others.

Still, the EU also acknowledges that the issue “remains an issue in Macau.”

In the most recent U.S. Department of State’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report, Macau was again ranked in Tier 3, with the U.S. claiming that “the government of the Macau Special Administrative Region of China does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so.”

Still, the same report also noted that “Despite the lack of significant efforts, the government took some steps to address trafficking, including investigating one potential trafficking case, training some officials, and organizing awareness-raising seminars at schools. However, overall anti-trafficking law enforcement and victim protection efforts remained inadequate.”

The U.S. Department of State report accused the local government of not “proactively screening vulnerable populations, such as individuals in commercial sex, for trafficking indicators; and the government has not reported identifying or providing services to any victims since 2022. The government did not prosecute any trafficking cases, has not convicted a trafficker since 2021, and has never identified a victim of forced labor exploited in Macau.”

In response, local authorities have expressed firm opposition, stating that the MSAR has rigorously implemented Law No. 6/2008, “Combat the Crime of Trafficking in Persons,” fully implemented international conventions applicable to the Macau SAR, and actively prevented and deterred human trafficking.

The government has also remarked that “The interdepartmental Human Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee effectively coordinates government departments and non-governmental organizations to dismantle human trafficking and related illegal activities,” adding that the same committee “closely collaborates with judicial authorities in investigations and trials, provides shelter and assistance to victims, organizes crime prevention and control promotional campaigns, and participates in international and regional cooperation.”

In the government statements issued in response to the U.S. Department of State report, the government also noted that “the incidence of human trafficking has perennially remained extremely low or zero, further highlighting Macau as one of the safest cities in the world.”

According to the United Nations (UN), “Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world.”