Tribute to CCB and French Police
At a ceremony held at Police Headquarters on March 30, the local banking and credit card industry paid tribute to officers of the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) and the French Police Liaison Officer at the French Consulate General for neutralising two crime syndicates operating in Hong Kong and France.
In the first case, CCB received intelligence that a large amount of credit card data had been stolen from a restaurant in Hong Kong. Subsequent investigations showed that the stolen data was used to produce counterfeit credit cards, which were used in Guam, France, Switzerland, USA, South Africa, Germany and Macau, resulting in losses amounting to HK$5 million. CCB Intelligence Division and the French authorities then conducted a detailed analysis, shared intelligence and identified the syndicate members handling the counterfeit cards. Armed with the information last December, the French Police neutralised a credit card workshop by arresting 15 Chinese engaged in payment card fraud.
In the second case, CCB discovered that an international crime syndicate was stealing credit card data in the United Kingdom. With counterfeit ATM cards containing the data, the syndicate members drew large amounts of money from ATMs on Hong Kong Island.
Following a detailed analysis of a sudden spate of illegal ATM withdrawals on Hong Kong Island, the Intelligence Division, together with its fellow Counterfeit and Forgery Division, discovered that a foreign gang had drawn money from local ATMs.
CCB carried out an operation in a hotel in Wan Chai, where three Romanian nationals were arrested and notebook computers, counterfeit ATM cards and over HK$2 million in Hong Kong and Euro banknotes drawn from ATMs were seized. The UK authorities and local banks have thanked CCB for this successful raid.
Bank
representatives
and French Police Liaison officer with CCB officers
English
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