Participation in Illegal Gambling Gets Hong Kong Policeman and Others to Court

An illegal casino was busted by the Hong Kong police. Located in the Selwyn Factory building in Kwun Tong, one of the city’s eighteen districts, the gambling space provided betting games for dozens of people. A police action swept the 1,600 square-foot improvised casinos and arrested 48 people in total. One of them surprisingly was a police officer from the local law-keeping forces.  

Ng Hin Fung Allegedly Operated Poker Games

Ng Hin Fung, who worked at the Cheung Sha Wan police station, allegedly had a second job at the illegal establishment operating or aiding poker games. He will now be charged on two accounts:

The first is operating an illegal gambling establishment. The 29-year-old Ng Hin Fung can face as much as two years in prison and receive a $640,000 fine. The second crime is organizing an illegal public gathering that fails to uphold the COVID-19 regulations. On this charge, the police officer faces up to six months in prison and a $3,000 fine. 

Ng Hin Fung paid a $1,300 bail to get out of an arrest, but his case will continue. It is now scheduled to have its outcome decided by October 11. Following his arrest, the man was relieved from his duties as a police officer. 

The Police Action Got Many More Arrested

South China Morning Post reports that 48 people in total were caught by the Hong Kong police. Among them, there were 36 men and 12 women, most of which in their twenties. However, there were people as young as 18 and as old as 54. They come from various backgrounds, with some being students, others working in various sectors, and a part being unemployed. 

29-year- old Kong Wing Sum and 24-year-old Wong Chun Long were arrested on accounts of operating games in the unlawful casino, similarly to Ng Hin Fung.

The manager of the illegal establishment and his assistants face the stringiest charges of operating an illegal gambling space. The other arrested were players – twenty-one of them already admitted to the crime and received a more manageable fine of around $128. 

Additionally, four poker tables were found in the Selwyn Factory building where the illegal casino was operating. All kinds of gambling-related items were found at the site, including cards, chips, and the like. In total, $77,200 of cash and chips were taken by the police officers. 

Illegal gambling is a reoccurring problem in Hong Kong and often demands police action. In December, the law forces busted a much bigger underground gambling hall in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, where over $3 million in chips were seized.