Gambling is as popular in China as anywhere else, but that it is also illegal has given rise to some creative criminal behaviour, such as the illicit conversion of a cargo ship to one fit for gambling on the canals of our very own Jiangsu Province.
The sting came on 6 August, when after more than 2 months of investigation, police officers descended upon the ship, arresting the main gang members and players; 100 people in total, and seizing more than ¥3.7 million in gambling funds.
The case dates back to June of this year, when police in Wuxi City first found clues as to the cargo ship being used for gambling on a canal within its jurisdiction. Many people were rumoured to be involved and the amount of money thought to be large.
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Through the course of their investigation, the Huishan Branch of the Wuxi Public Security Bureau (PSB) found that the cargo ship had been remodelled, with a casino, kiosk, toilets and lounge, as well as other facilities.
Police scrutiny also revealed that the cargo-gambling refit generally plied the canal as it borders Huishan District of Wuxi and Wujin District of Changzhou. The ship made dozens of stops a day to pick up and let off gamblers.
In scenes reminiscent of Hollywood, it was further discovered that when the boat was docked, lookouts equipped with walkie talkies were stationed on the shore at street intersections to watch for a police presence.
Another was on the ship itself, in charge of observing passing canal traffic and sending any approaching vessels on their way.
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After the arrests, it was determined that the gang involved had been in operation since last year, repeatedly gathering others to gamble on canal boats in Yangshan Town in Huishan District, Daixi Town in Wujin District and other places.
According to information provided to The Paper this Wednesday by the Huishan Wuxi PSB, of the 100 persons involved, 72 were detained for participating in gambling and 18 on suspicion of opening a casino.
Gambling might be illegal on the Chinese mainland, but the country’s citizens are able, and to a degree actively encouraged, to partake in lotteries, such as the Welfare Lottery and the China Sports Lottery, in the process raising trillions in tax revenues for the government.
