Briefs | 6-year-old usury group shut down by police

The Judiciary Police (PJ) shut down a six-year-old cross-border usury group, in conjunction with the mainland police authority. In total, the police authority arrested 55 people, including the mastermind, and four working as accountants. The PJ believes that the group has taken at least 70 million patacas. The mastermind is a 47-year-old Macau local resident who controlled the group remotely from mainland China. According to the PJ, the group loaned tens of thousands or millions of patacas in each instance of their criminal activity. In total, the group’s operation involved at least 17 casino VIP room accounts. The group hid usury records in mini storages, tea houses, restaurants, travel agencies and other places in Macau.

Legislative Assembly by-election vote verified

The votes of a by-election for the Legislative Assembly have been verified and the final result will remain unchanged, the chairman of the by-election’s general audit committee said. Sole candidate Wang Sai Man, who represents the industrial, commercial and financial sector, will take up the seat left vacant by Chief Executive-elect Ho Iat Seng. The Chairman of the General Audit Committee for the Legislative Assembly By-election, Kuok Kin Hong, said the committee had unanimously agreed that the final result remained unchanged. In Sunday’s by-election, Wang secured 813 votes from a total of 920 eligible voters in the functional constituency, with a further five blank votes and four considered invalid. The voter turnout rate stood at about 89%.