Mainland merchant allegedly scammed RMB450,000

A small businessman from Zhuhai trying to supply farm products to Macau was fooled by a friend into paying the amount of RMB450,000 (almost MOP550,000) while trying to acquire a license for trade, the Judiciary Police (PJ) said yesterday. The issue started in April when the victim, a 46-year-old man from Zhuhai came to Macau in the company of a friend, also from the mainland. The idea of the victim, a small entrepreneur in the farm products business, was to know how he could start to supply the territory with his products.
With that intention, the victim and the suspect visited the Nam Yue Supply Market where he learned he needed to apply for a supplier license.
The suspect quickly offered to take care of the matter for his friend as he apparently  often visited Macau.
The victim accepted his friend’s offer and on June 2 they returned to Macau to work on the procedures. It was at that time that the victim gave the money to his friend.
After receiving the money, the suspect vanished, unable to be found at the apartment where he was supposed to be residing in Macau. The victim then filed a complaint with the PJ.
On June 8 while trying to exit from Macau, the suspect was intercepted and handed over to the PJ. When questioned, he admitted to having gambled all the money.