Syndicate pair selling false card equipment sent to jail
2000-7-31
A syndicate selling computer equipment used to read and encode credit card data for the purpose of manufacturing counterfeit credit cards was smashed as a result of an ICAC undercover operation.
Two syndicate members caught red handed while selling such equipment to ICAC undercover agents for $150,000 were respectively jailed for six months and four months at District Court today (Monday).
Lee Kin-man, 32, and Chan Yim-kwong, 34, both unemployed, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument.
Judge Line said immediate custodial sentences were imposed since the offences committed by the defendants were serious, although no losses were caused to banks and counterfeit credit cards were not yet manufactured.
The case originated from a corruption complaint, which alleged that a shop operator might have been offered bribes to allow the use of counterfeit credit cards at the shop.
The court was told that an ICAC undercover officer known as Bill was introduced by an ICAC informant to Lee at a meeting.
During the meeting, Lee told Bill that he was willing to sell Bill a set of equipment fit for manufacturing false credit cards for $200,000.
Bill said he would discuss the matter with his partner, who was another ICAC undercover officer called Sam. Telephone conversations between the informant, Bill, Sam and Lee ensued. Most of the conversations were tape recorded.
After a number of meetings, Bill indicated that he and his partner Sam were interested in purchasing the set of equipment at $150,000. Lee agreed to the offer.
In the evening of April 14 this year, the informant, Bill and Lee met at the lift lobby of Lung Fai House, Lower Wong Tai Sin Estate, Kowloon.
After meeting Chan who arrived later, the party proceeded to a flat of the estate.
At the flat, the defendants used a lap-top computer connected with an encoder to demonstrate how credit card data could be read and transferred.
While the duo were conducting the demonstration, a group of ICAC officers entered the flat and made arrests.
ICAC officers also seized a number of exhibits, including a lap-top computer, a floppy disk inserted into the disk drive of the computer, and a Hong Kong Bank credit card in the name of Lee.
Lee, while interviewed under caution by the ICAC, admitted that the equipment was purchased at $35,000 in Shenzhen.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Crystal Chan, assisted by ICAC officer Johnny Yau.
Two syndicate members caught red handed while selling such equipment to ICAC undercover agents for $150,000 were respectively jailed for six months and four months at District Court today (Monday).
Lee Kin-man, 32, and Chan Yim-kwong, 34, both unemployed, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument.
Judge Line said immediate custodial sentences were imposed since the offences committed by the defendants were serious, although no losses were caused to banks and counterfeit credit cards were not yet manufactured.
The case originated from a corruption complaint, which alleged that a shop operator might have been offered bribes to allow the use of counterfeit credit cards at the shop.
The court was told that an ICAC undercover officer known as Bill was introduced by an ICAC informant to Lee at a meeting.
During the meeting, Lee told Bill that he was willing to sell Bill a set of equipment fit for manufacturing false credit cards for $200,000.
Bill said he would discuss the matter with his partner, who was another ICAC undercover officer called Sam. Telephone conversations between the informant, Bill, Sam and Lee ensued. Most of the conversations were tape recorded.
After a number of meetings, Bill indicated that he and his partner Sam were interested in purchasing the set of equipment at $150,000. Lee agreed to the offer.
In the evening of April 14 this year, the informant, Bill and Lee met at the lift lobby of Lung Fai House, Lower Wong Tai Sin Estate, Kowloon.
After meeting Chan who arrived later, the party proceeded to a flat of the estate.
At the flat, the defendants used a lap-top computer connected with an encoder to demonstrate how credit card data could be read and transferred.
While the duo were conducting the demonstration, a group of ICAC officers entered the flat and made arrests.
ICAC officers also seized a number of exhibits, including a lap-top computer, a floppy disk inserted into the disk drive of the computer, and a Hong Kong Bank credit card in the name of Lee.
Lee, while interviewed under caution by the ICAC, admitted that the equipment was purchased at $35,000 in Shenzhen.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Crystal Chan, assisted by ICAC officer Johnny Yau.