‘Broken Tooth Koi’ said to open VIP room in casino

Wan Kuok-koi, center, known as Broken Tooth Koi, walks out of Coloane Prison, Dec. 1, 2012

Wan Kuok-koi, center, known as Broken Tooth Koi, walks out of Coloane Prison, Dec. 1, 2012

60-year-old Wan Kuok-koi, one of the most infamous and feared triad leaders before the city’s handover, opened a VIP gambling room in Macau last week, as reported by Hong Kong’s Next Media.
Also known as “Broken Tooth Koi”, the former crime boss was released in December 2012 from Macau prison after completing a 14-year sentence for loan-sharking, money laundering and heading a criminal organization. He was once known as the imposing “dragon head” of the dreaded 14K Triad Society during the Portuguese administration, and reached the peak of his power in the 1990s, a time where bloody gang fights and crimes often broke out in the streets.
The Next Media report stated that many gaming and other business practitioners had been avoiding Wan Kuok-koi since his release from prison: none of them dared to be linked to him, as they were unsure of the Central Government’s attitude towards him as a result of his previous high profile.
Amid the industry downturn due to a twelve-month plunge in gaming revenue, it is estimated that over half the city’s VIP gambling rooms have been wound up. “Bold enough to open a VIP room in gaming industry’s ‘ice age,’ ‘Broken Tooth Koi’ is showing his ability to succeed where others fail,” said Next Media, calling the former crime boss “good at playing in the face of adversity.”
The report added that “Broken Tooth Koi” is not only gearing up to retain control over the gaming industry, but has also allegedly been granted a seat in a regional body of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference [CPPCC] in the mainland. He is also said to be planning a celebration feast at the Grand Hyatt hotel in October. BY

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