HK police to intensify crackdown on illegal football betting, drink driving during World Cup

Secretary for Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, Tsang Tak-sing, said here Wednesday the HK police would step up law enforcement actions against illegal football betting and drink driving during the World Cup.

In a written reply to a question raised by a lawmaker of the city's Legislative Council, Tsang said the HK police conducted four raids and arrested seven people, involving an amount of more than 550,000 HK dollars (70,500 U.S. dollars) in illegal bookmaking in the first quarter of this year.

Tsang said crackdown on illegal football betting was part of HK police's overall plan for this year and relevant arrangements will not affect the manpower deployment for other police duties.

According to Tsang, a special team has been set up with the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau co-ordinating the work of the headquarters, regional and district formations, in order to prevent and address the possible increase in illegal football gambling activities during the World Cup.

Tsang said the HK police had strategies in place to combat illegal gambling and will adjust the operational deployment flexibly depending on the situation.

The official also disclosed that the HK police have been closely monitoring Internet gambling activities and policemen will conduct cyber patrols to combat relevant crimes. Other government agencies will also gather intelligence through different channels, investigate illegal gambling websites within and outside Hong Kong and take law enforcement actions after gathering sufficient evidence, he said.


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