Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, MGTO has waged a total of 81 sanctions, of which all were being investigated and will be judged according to established legal procedures, and offenders informed of their right to plead. At present, the first sanction proceeding has been completed and an operator who provided accommodation illegally is fined 200 000 patacas. Other cases are in different stages of sanction proceedings. The Cross-departmental Working Team has been conducting operations in the past two months and seized 12 operators, 12 touts and 12 persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (managing staff) on site. Apart from the operators seized on site, MGTO’s ensuing investigations will seek to establish if more offenders are involved. MGTO has begun sanction proceedings on offenders according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation". To date, one operator who provided accommodation illegally is fined 200 000 patacas. If the fine is not paid within the statutory period, the Financial Services Bureau will enforce the collection of fine. Meanwhile, six occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were fined 3 000 patacas each, among which, two have paid the fine. For those who fail to pay the fine within the statutory period, MGTO has notified the Financial Services Bureau to enforce the collection of fine and informed PSP that the involved persons should pay the fine or their reentry into Macau will be denied. According to the law, operators and persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) incur a penalty up to 800 000 patacas, touts can be fined up to 100 000 patacas, persons who fail to cooperate can be fined up to 20 000 patacas and occupants who fail to cooperate are fined 3 000 patacas. From October 19 until 5p.m. today (Oct 25) the Cross-departmental Working Team sealed four premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and seized two touts, two managing staff, one overstayer and two illegal immigrants at the premises. Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, 999 premise-checks were conducted, involving 692 premises, of which 81 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 101 were normal residences. Ensuing investigations on the rest of the premises have been launched. Among the checked premises, some were vacant or unoccupied. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and the Public Security Police Force (PSP) will continue investigation on unanswered doors, which are suspected to be used to provide accommodation illegally. Meanwhile, during investigations to other cases, PSP has found 16 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and informed the Cross-departmental Working Team to handle the cases. To date, the operations involved more than 803 occupants, among whom 367 were occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 16 overstayers and 14 illegal immigrants. 12 operators, 12 touts, 12 persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (managing staff) and six occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were seized on site. Following the raid to premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally, MGTO began sanction proceedings on involved operators, touts and managing staff, and adopted provisional measures to cut the supply of water and electricity to the concerned premises and sealed the doors. Public can also call 2833 3000 to report suspected premises.
