From October 10 until 5p.m. today (Oct 18) the Cross-departmental Working Team sealed one premise suspected to provide accommodation illegally and seized one operator, one managing staff and one overstayer at the premise.
Since the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation" took effect on August 13, a total of 953 premise-checks were conducted, involving 658 premises, of which 77 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally were sealed, while 105 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 12 premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and informed the Cross-departmental Working Team to handle the cases.
To help the investigations, when necessary, MGTO can request a judicial order to enter into the suspect premises to investigate.
To date, the operations involved more than 745 occupants, among whom 342 were occupants of premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally and were investigated, including 15 overstayers and 12 illegal immigrants. 12 operators, 10 touts, 10 persons who manage the premises that provide accommodation illegally (managing staff) and 4 occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation were seized. Among the four occupants who failed to fulfill their duty of cooperation, only two have paid the fine. MGTO has notified the Financial Services Bureau to enforce the collection of fine on the other two and informed PSP that the involved occupants should pay the fine or their reentry into Macau will be denied.
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. According to the new law, operators and person who manage the premise that provide accommodation illegally (management staff) incur a penalty up to 800 000 patacas, touts can be fined up to 100 000 patacas and occupants who fail to cooperate are fined 3 000 patacas. Public can also call 2833 3000 to report suspected premises.
MGTO and Legal Affairs Bureau remind travelers that, according to the law on "Prohibition of Providing Illegal Accommodation", occupants found in premises suspected to provide accommodation illegally have the obligation to provide information or will be fined 3,000 patacas for violating the duty of cooperation. Occupants providing false information need to bear criminal responsibility. Non-residents who fail to pay the fine by due date might be denied reentry into Macau in the future.
