Rape cases rise almost 30%, but security chief says figure may be misleading

The number of rape cases in Macau increased by 29.4% year-on-year in the first half (1H) of this year, official statistics revealed yesterday.

Despite the concerning figure, which accounts for a total of 22 rape cases in the first six months of this year, the Secretary for Security, Chan Tsz King, said the figure may not be as dramatic as it appears, noting that “more than 70% of the victims are non-residents of Macau, and the incidents occurred primarily in hotel rooms.”

Chan also added that, according to police intelligence on the cases, some may not ultimately be classified as rape cases, as “some of the cases occurred in the context of a sexual transaction.”

As police forces have previously explained, based on their experience, some people, particularly those involved in prostitution, may use rape allegations as a form of pressure and “blackmail” against alleged perpetrators to obtain additional payments.

The figure, revealed during yesterday’s press briefing on crime and enforcement statistics for 1H of 2026, does not include any additional information on how many of these cases are suspected to be “false rape” claims.

To tackle the issue, Chan said the forces “will continue to strengthen police presence and patrols in the vicinity of hotels and casinos to combat the crime of prostitution exploitation and related illegal activities.”

In this regard, the secretary added that in the 1H of this year, police carried out 134 operations, apprehending 150 individuals suspected of prostitution-related offenses and solving 17 pimping cases involving 20 suspects.

Chan also noted that in all identified cases, “no individuals were found to have been forced to engage in such activities or provide such services against their will.”

Sexual abuse of children shows slight decline

One of the crimes highlighted in 2025 due to a spike in the number of cases (+77.3%) was child sexual abuse.

Further elaborating on the issue, Chan explained that the cases “mainly involved mild sexual harassment and voluntary sexual acts or other intimate interactions between people of the same age,” meaning cases in which both parties involved were children.

For this reason, the security chief said police are addressing the issue by sending personnel to schools to conduct awareness campaigns on preventing sexual crimes and enhancing self-protection awareness.

He added that in the 1H, 16 such activities were conducted, involving more than 4,500 students, guardians, teaching and non-teaching staff.

Similar to the previously mentioned rape cases, for which figures were not broken down by case type, the Office of the Secretary for Security also did not provide clarification on how many child sexual abuse cases involved children of the same age or how many involved adults.

Still under the chapter dedicated to “Crimes Against the Person,” the secretary noted a total of 1,309 cases, 93 more than in the same period last year, representing an increase of 7.6%.

Among the categories recording the largest increases, besides rape cases, were “bodily harm” cases (+8.9%), which recorded 647 cases in the first half of the year, an increase of 53 cases compared with the same period last year.

As with rape cases, authorities noted that most incidents occurred in tourist areas, casinos, hotels, and surrounding areas, adding that “in most cases, the injuries were minor and not severe or life-threatening.”

Authorities also explained that these cases are believed to be related to the continued increase in visitor numbers, as well as crowds and minor physical conflicts in high-foot-traffic areas.

In response, police said they have intensified patrols and inspections in these areas and are continuously strengthening cooperation and communication mechanisms with casino and entertainment operators.

SCAMS DECLINE IN NUMBER BUT NOT VALUE

The number of scams, particularly those carried out through phones and the internet, declined in the first half (1H) of 2026, Secretary for Security Chan Tsz King said yesterday, while warning that financial losses from some schemes remain significant.

According to the statistics released, 1,006 scam cases were registered in the 1H, a decrease of 122 cases (10.8%) compared with the same period last year.

Chan added that 283 of these cases involved phone or internet scams, representing a decrease of 177 cases, or 38.5%, compared with the same period last year.

The secretary said the decline “reflects the effectiveness of prevention and enforcement efforts and the significant increase in public awareness of fraud prevention.”

However, he noted that losses from some scams, including online dating scams and investment scams, remain significant, with the value of reported losses not declining at the same pace as the number of cases.

Chan said police-bank cooperation mechanisms had helped prevent additional losses of about MOP84 million.

He also attributed the decline in total scam cases to a drop in illegal currency exchange scams (-69.3%), which police have been closely monitoring.

Meanwhile, cases of “illegal currency exchange for gambling” increased by 7.9% to 259 cases in the 1H. Together with “breach of trust” cases (+141.7%), gaming-related crimes increased by 12.2%.

Fewer cases involving taxi drivers

A new feature of yesterday’s press briefing was the release of additional statistical data on traffic violations.

Regarding offenses committed by taxi drivers, Chan said the Public Security Police Force (PSP), together with the Transport Bureau, recorded 1,238 traffic violations in the 1H of 2026, representing a 13.8% decrease compared with the same period in 2025.

Chan said authorities plan to release more information online, particularly through the Office of the Secretary for Security’s website, instead of holding regular quarterly press briefings.

He said this approach would allow information to be released once available, without requiring additional time and resources for press conferences. He added that the secretariat will focus on releasing statistics every six months rather than quarterly, saying “quarterly statistics are not statistically significant.”

New form of illegal betting emerges

Secretary for Security Chan Tsz King and Judiciary Police (PJ) director Sit Chong Meng acknowledged that a new form of illegal betting has emerged at some local casinos, involving third parties placing bets remotely through live video feeds.

Responding to media questions in a press conference yesterday, both officials acknowledged the issue, saying there had been “a few cases” reported and that the PJ, together with casino security teams, had immediately stopped such activities when detected.

The two officials said the number of cases remains limited, at around a dozen, and they believe the incidents are “isolated cases” rather than the work of an “organized group.”

Security forces expressed confidence that such attempts to bypass gaming venue security measures would not succeed, saying police have the capability to stop these activities shortly after they occur.