145 Chinese nationals in hot water following cross-border gambling and fraud

Revocation of passports and restriction from departing the country are some of the tough measures taken by the Chinese National Immigration Administration to clampdown on gambling illegalities

The Chinese National Immigration Administration has revoked the passports of 145 individuals involved in cross-border gambling and fraud and banned them from leaving China for three years.

The administration said, among the 145 Chinese nationals, 71 were arrested for illegally crossing national borders and 19 were repatriated from neighboring countries.

SiGMA News has recently been reporting the clampdown on illegal gambling activities in China and earlier this month reported that the Chinese immigration administrators tracked down and arrested 89 people in a crackdown campaign on the administration of illegal and criminal cross-border activities including gambling and telecom fraud.

The administration invalidated all their passports, and declared that the people include criminal suspects registered for investigation by public security organs, illegal residents or employees repatriated from other countries, and those caught for illegally leaving the country from the southwest border,

It said, “the number of Chinese citizens leaving the country has largely declined since the Covid-19 outbreak” and added, ‘However, there are still some people who have been deceived or enticed to engage in activities including gambling and telecom fraud in Southeast Asian countries under the name of travelling or working there,’

‘[Their behaviors] have seriously infringed on the property safety of Chinese citizens; resulted in vicious crimes such as kidnapping and extortion,’ The administration said, ‘They have threatened China’s economic security and social stability, and damaged China’s national image.’

The administration hopes that the citizens would observe China’s COVID-19 prevention and control requirements, and not depart the country unless they must or have urgent needs, and stated, ‘Do not easily believe the blandishments of so-called ‘confidantes’ on the internet, or the ‘go abroad and get rich overnight’ claim of the outlaws,’ it remarked. ‘Otherwise [the wrongdoings] may not only hurt their personal interests and safety, but may also coerce them into becoming an accomplice of the criminals.’

The administration firmly noted that it maintains ‘zero tolerance’ for criminals involved in cross-border gambling and fraud, warning that those who cross the legal lines will be severely punished in accordance with the law, and restricted from leaving the country.

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