From February 8 until 5p.m. of February 14, the Cross-departmental Working Team sealed three more premise suspected to provide accommodation illegally. During the operation, three operators and three overstayers were found while two occupants failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation. In addition, with the assistance of police, 5 people were taken away for further investigation. Meanwhile, one more operator who provided accommodation illegally was fined 200 000 patacas. Since the Cross-departmental Working Team started operations, to date, 1,251 premise-checks were conducted, involving 826 premises, of which 107 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 120 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 23 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 107 sanctions, among which two sanction proceedings have been completed and six operators who provided accommodation illegally were fined 200 000 patacas. Other cases are in different stages of sanction proceedings. To date, the operations involved 1,077 occupants, among whom 491 were occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 26 overstayers and 18 illegal immigrants. 18 operators, 14 touts, 19 persons who managed the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) and 10 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 six 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.
According to the law, operators and persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) incur a penalty of 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.
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.
