Fraud, drug trafficking top offences among prisoners

Fraud and drug trafficking topped the list of offences among Macau’s 1,230 inmates in 2025, according to the Correctional Services Bureau’s (DSC) annual report.

The bureau has released its 2025 annual report, marking the 10th anniversary of its establishment and the full operation of the new prison. According to the report, as of the end of last year, the total number of inmates stood at 1,230, with 10 juveniles in detention.

Among the crimes committed by sentenced inmates, fraud ranked first with 382 cases, accounting for over one-fifth of all offences and reflecting the fact that fraud has become the most prominent category of crime in Macau.

This was followed by drug trafficking with 221 cases, aiding and abetting with 116 cases, theft with 104 cases, illegal lending and usury for gambling with 95 cases, and forgery of documents with 86 cases.

Other commonly recorded offences included drug consumption with 60 cases, improper possession of drug paraphernalia with 58 cases, unlawful deprivation of freedom with 58 cases, offences against physical integrity with 49 cases, money laundering with 46 cases, triad and criminal organization offences with 45 cases, and abuse of trust with 39 cases.

Other offences included illegal weapons and explosives with 35 cases, illegal re-entry with 32 cases, harboring with 30 cases, robbery with 28 cases, homicide with 27 cases, bribery with 24 cases, and resistance and coercion with 22 cases, along with 289 other offences.

The report shows that sentenced inmates were predominantly middle-aged. The highest proportion fell within the 45 to 54 age group, followed by the 35 to 44 group, while younger inmates under 25 and older inmates aged 55 and above were relatively fewer.

By place of residence, the majority of inmates were Macau residents, followed by residents from the mainland – including holders of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents, Chinese passport holders, illegal immigrants from China, and non-resident workers –and foreign nationals, including holders of foreign passports, illegal immigrants from other countries, and non-resident workers.

At the Youth Correctional Institution, there were 10 juvenile detainees in 2025.

The most common offence among them was sexual assault against children with four cases, followed by extortion with three cases, sexual harassment with two cases, robbery with two cases, and one case each of aggravated theft, theft, sexual assault of persons incapable of resistance, and pornographic material involving a minor. All juvenile detainees were male, predominantly aged between 16 and 18, with the majority holding Macau resident identity cards.

The DSC report highlights significant progress in inmate education and vocational training, with 33 inmates enrolled in recurrent education, 27 in tertiary programs, and 32 in distance learning courses during the 2024/2025 academic year.

As noted, the bureau also operates 20 vocational workshops across 16 trade areas, with 708 inmate participants, while 371 inmates completed professional certification courses. A total of 25 talks and workshops attracted 1,393 participants. Under the pre-release employment scheme, 16 of 37 inmates secured jobs through 11 partner employers.

On staffing, the bureau reported 916 employees as of year-end, with 55 new guards and 8 promotions. Psychological counseling services were provided to 32 staff and family members, with 31 percent seeking help on their own initiative.