33 Held Over Alleged Credit Card Theft Ring Targeting Hongkongers in Shenzhen

Hong Kong and mainland Chinese police have arrested 33 people in a joint operation against a suspected credit card theft syndicate targeting Hong Kong residents travelling across the border to Shenzhen for leisure.

Police said the syndicate’s alleged activity caused losses exceeding HK$1.8 million (US$229,500).

Alleged thefts in Shenzhen

Superintendent Tsang Chun-kit of the police’s crime Kowloon East Regional Headquarters said the syndicate had allegedly stolen Hongkongers’ credit cards in Shenzhen.

The cards were then immediately brought back to the city, where they were allegedly used to make purchases for resale as profit, Tsang said.

According to Tsang, all the victims had visited tourist hotspots in Shenzhen for leisure before the alleged crimes took place.

The victims did not check their personal belongings after returning from the trip, he said.

They became aware of the suspected thefts only after banks notified them of abnormally large transaction records.

“All victims had been to tourist hotspots in Shenzhen for leisure before the crime happened. They didn’t check their personal belongings after the trip until banks notified them of abnormally large transaction records,” Tsang said.

Police exchanged intelligence

The Kowloon East regional technology and financial crime unit exchanged intelligence with Shenzhen’s public security bureau during the investigation, Tsang said.

The two agencies conducted an in-depth investigation before taking separate enforcement action, he added.

The arrests followed that cross-border cooperation over a suspected syndicate accused of stealing cards from Hongkongers visiting Shenzhen and using them for purchases intended for resale.

Source: South China Morning Post