According to Macao’s criminal-case and law enforcement data for the period January to September 2022, the Judiciary Police opened 7,329 cases for special criminal investigation, down 16.7 percent compared to the same period in 2021. The overall number of criminal cases continued to decrease. This indicates that Macao is maintaining as a whole its stability and public order, thanks to the police’s strengthened efforts in law enforcement, and a reduction in public outdoor activity due to the pandemic.
During the first three quarters of the year, there were downward trends in numbers for various categories of crime. Crimes of violence significantly decreased, by just over 43 percent year-on-year. Serious crimes such as kidnapping, homicide and serious assault remained either low in number or at zero level.
False imprisonment cases greatly decreased, by almost 84 percent year-on-year. Loan-sharking cases decreased by over 46 percent; common assault cases went down by nearly 18 percent; arson cases decreased by over 41 percent; drug trafficking cases declined by just above 40 percent; cases either of forgery or using an identity document related to another person, decreased by 37.3 percent and 29.2 percent respectively; and crimes against the territory decreased by just over 42 percent.
Cases of rape decreased by 36 percent year-on-year, while cases of child sexual abuse increased, as more cases of victims being abused through contacts with offenders via online chatting were recorded. Cases of blackmail increased by 25 percent, with naked-chat blackmail cases increasing by more than 30 percent year-on-year.
During the first three quarters of the year, computer crimes significantly decreased: by about 70 percent, though there were another 85 cases of Internet-related fraud. From June this year, fraud cases relating to placing orders for goods, targeting the food and beverage sector, continued emerging in Macao. As at the end of September, reported fraud crimes of this nature had generated financial damages with a total value of about 2.5 million patacas.
Crimes related to gaming showed a downward trend, likely due to the decrease in numbers of tourists as a result of the pandemic, and the police’s strengthened efforts in combatting and preventing crime. Among the gaming-related crimes, the most marked decrease was for fraud cases, followed by cases involving illegal appropriation of items, and loan-sharking.
Parallel import activities greatly disturbed societal order at boundary crossings between Zhuhai and Macao, and increased the risk of pandemic transmission. From January to September this year, 67 operations to combat parallel-goods traders were conducted on the Macao peninsula, including 36 that involved either cross-boundary or interdepartmental work. In the course of those operations, goods were seized at the Border Gate and the Qingmao Checkpoint that were identified as being linked to more than 3,600 cases of illegal activity.
During the first three quarters of the year, especially from June to August, Macao was seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. All sectors of the community faced great pressure, and the increasing unemployment rate may create further uncertainty. The Macao Special Administrative Region’s (MSAR’s) security authorities will pay close attention to the situation, and conduct analyses and undertake law enforcement actions as required.
The Central Government has initiated several beneficial measures, such as authorising the resumption of online application for individual visas for trips to Macao, and indicating that tour groups from mainland China to Macao will be resumed. As the numbers of tourists visiting Macao may increase, the security authorities will continue paying attention to the changing trends of criminal activity, will continue strengthening crime combatting and prevention measures, and actively support all pandemic prevention measures of the MSAR Government, to safeguard public security and property, and Macao’s stability and prosperity.