As the World Cup closes in on us - over in Hong Kong police and customs officials will increase their crackdown on illegal betting and counterfeit merchandise over the next three months.
In an operation code-named Crowbeak, local police will have officers raid bars and restaurants across the country that are suspected of hiding illegal bookmaking during the World Cup.
The way in which the police plan to tackle this by sending undercover police into local bars and restaurants as they look for illegal betting among football fans. Along with this, they will be looking for counterfeit football merchandise.
This is not something new and during the last World Cup in 2014 the police seized more than HK$750 million (£690,000) while making 176 arrests.
The reason for such a crackdown is in Hong Kong gambling is legal but only at a handful of authorized outlets. As betting with a bookmaker is illegal in Hong Kong. Simultaneously with this, the revenue generated legally from gambling is the largest taxpayer for the government. So, unfortunately, this crackdown is to help to government profit from the World Cup as much as possible rather than any moral good that could come from aforementioned.
In the country, anyone who is found guilty of running illegal bookmaker could face a fine of up to HK$5 million (£470,000) and seven years in jail. While people betting with these illegal bookmakers could face a fine of HK$30,000 (£2,800) and nine months in jail.
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