Gold99 | The Judiciary Police (PJ) in Macau revealed on Tuesday that a plot unfolded, centering around the manipulation of standard HKD100 (US$13) casino chips to falsely represent an inflated face value of HKD10,000 ($1,300) each. In a significant breakthrough, law enforcement confiscated a total of 33 altered chips and apprehended five suspects, all of whom are Chinese nationals from the mainland. The deceptive casino chip scheme underscores the growing sophistication of illicit activities within the gambling industry.
Three individuals managed to escape to the mainland, where they were subsequently apprehended. Authorities reported that at least one suspect remains elusive and is currently at large. This development underscores the complexity of the case and the challenges in bringing all involved parties to justice.
PJ spokesperson Lei Hon Nei did not provide specific details regarding the exact nature of the alterations. However, he did mention that the group capitalized on the similarity in color between the regular HKD100 and the manipulated HKD10,000 chips. This strategic exploitation of visual similarity highlights the cunning tactics employed by the perpetrators to deceive both casino staff and surveillance systems.
Gold99 | The Elaborate Scheme Unveiled
Lei highlighted that the chips were equipped with RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags, adding an additional layer of complexity to potential counterfeiting efforts. These tags emit signals detectable by RFID-reading devices strategically placed at gaming tables and the casino cage.
Four of the suspects utilized some of these altered chips at baccarat tables, successfully cashing them out around 10:30 p.m. The scheme began to unravel when a vigilant dealer, scrutinizing a stack of HKD10,000 chips, noticed subtle variations.
Another suspect faced apprehension while attempting to exchange three modified chips for cash at the casino cage, further exposing the intricate nature of the scam. The integration of RFID technology served as both a challenge and a key factor in uncovering the illicit activities within the casino.
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The Proliferation of Counterfeit Chips
Instances of fraudulent casino chips have surged in recent years, with the ease of acquiring realistic fakes online, often through the dark web.
In August of the previous year, Macau authorities apprehended two Chinese nationals under suspicion of inundating the Galaxy Macau with counterfeit chips. A staggering 493 fake chips, each valued at HK$10,000, circulated during a two-hour gambling spree in the casino.
This quantity surpasses the total number of counterfeit chips confiscated across Macau’s casino industry in 2019, the last year unaffected by the pandemic. Within the brief two-hour timeframe, suspects engaged in a series of bets and chip exchanges with unsuspecting gamblers on the casino floor.
The estimated impact of the scam on the casino was substantial, with losses reaching at least HK$5.6 million (US$700K). This incident underscores the escalating sophistication of schemes targeting the gambling sector, posing significant financial risks to establishments.
