Society

HK targets horse racing bookmaking syndicate

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-23 16:44

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Information Services Department announced on Thursday that the city's police successfully neutralized a horse racing bookmaking syndicate here during an operation on Wednesday, arresting 15 people and seizing betting records valued at more than 60 million HK dollars (about $7.71 million).

Officers of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) conducted an intelligence-led operation code named "Violinmaker" targeting crime syndicates engaging in illegal horse racing bookmaking activities that utilized computers and the Internet as a platform for receiving bets.

After thorough investigations, OCTB officers raided various locations across the city at around 08:00 pm local time on Wednesday and arrested 13 men and two women, aged between 32 and 64, for "engaging in bookmaking" and "betting with a bookmaker". Some of those arrested were core members of the syndicate.

Police also seized betting records valued at more than 60 million HK dollars (about $7.71 million) and 14 computers during the operation.

The arrest operation is still ongoing and all those arrested are still being detained for further enquiries.

Police said they will continue to combat illegal bookmaking activities and appeal to members of the public not to engage in illegal gambling.