From March 12 until 5p.m. of March 21, the Cross-departmental Working Team sealed three more premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally. To date, the Cross-departmental Working Team has closed 116 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally. Staff of MGTO continues to check the premises to ensure they remain sealed and supply of water and electricity suspended. MGTO stressed that damaging the seal and resuming supply of water and electricity is a criminal offence which will be submitted to judicial entity for follow up.
Since the Cross-departmental Working Team started operations, 1,305 premise-checks were conducted, involving 855 premises, of which 116 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 136 were normal residences, 251 were dormitories for labor and vacant or commercial units. 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 27 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and informed the Cross-departmental Working Team to handle the cases.
Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has waged a total of 116 sanctions and nine operators who provided accommodation illegally were fined 200 000 patacas according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation". Other cases are in different stages of sanction proceedings.
To date, 534 occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 29 overstayers and 21 illegal immigrants. 21 operators, 14 touts, 19 persons who managed the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) and 11 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were seized on site.
MGTO has begun sanction proceedings on offenders according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation". If the nine operators who provided accommodation illegally, who were fined 200 000 patacas, do not pay within the statutory period, the Financial Services Bureau will enforce the collection of fine. Meanwhile, the 10 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were fined 3 000 patacas each, among which four 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.
