HONG KONG (Reuters) – Macau police have arrested 11 people in an investigation into an illegal gambling and money laundering syndicate, according to an official WeChat account, a day after junket mogul Alvin Chau https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-wenzhou-issues-arrest-warrant-macau-junket-mogul-chau-2021-11-27 was questioned at a Macau police station.

The Macau judiciary police didn’t name any of the people at the Sunday press conference, but they said that one was a Macau businessman aged 47. Chau reported Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post.

Although it was possible that this was Alvin Chau who was 46 when Suncity Group Holdings Ltd (of which he was chairman) published its 2020 results, it was not certain.

Suncity, the largest junket operator in the region, is also his creation. This entity operates VIP gaming rooms throughout Asia. Junket operators allow high-rollers to gamble at casinos by bringing them in as go-betweens. They extend credit and collect their debts.

It was impossible to reach the junket operator for comment. The representatives of Hong Kong’s listed company couldn’t be reached by telephone and didn’t respond to emails requesting comment from the company or Chau.

An official of the Macau judiciary failed to return calls seeking comment.

According to the WeChat statement, Macau police stated that the suspects had admitted operating gambling sites or other telemarketing operations.

According to authorities in Wenzhou, an eastern Chinese city, Friday’s investigation revealed that Alvin Chau had set up a network of junket agents in mainland China in order to facilitate citizens engaging in cross-border and offshore gambling.

According to Macau’s government, the man was brought to the station by earlier evidence after receiving notification from authorities on the arrest warrant.

GGRAsia is a news source on Asia’s casino industry. A spokesperson for Suncity said by email that Saturday morning, “All businesses operate in accordance to the law and are under the supervision Macau Special Administrative Region Government.”