Gaming-related probes up in 2012: Official

Gaming-related probes up in 2012: Official Hi-tech cases are increasing, says police chief The number of gaming-related criminal cases handled last year by the Judiciary Police increased, its head said yesterday. The number of cases that took place inside casinos reached 2,070, up by 2.1 percent year-on-year. There was also an increase in the number of gaming-related cases of false imprisonment, up to 23 in 2012 from 20 the previous year. The number of cases of loan-sharking dropped from 175 in 2011 to 150 in 2012. Last year, the Judiciary Police probed 16 cases related to criminal syndicates, up by 9 in comparison to 2011. The majority were linked to gaming, including fraudulent schemes using technology, loan sharking and use of fake chips, the Judiciary Police said in a press release. “These crimes are very well set-up, which makes the police action more difficult,” said Judiciary Police director Wong Sio Chak, adding cheaters are increasingly using high technology in their scams. The overall number of cases handled by the Judiciary Police in 2012 reached 9,283, down by 12.5 percent year-on-year.