Taiwan’s criminal investigation authorities said on Monday they had broken up a “cross-border” case involving a local syndicate suspected of laundering about TWD33 billion (US$1.03 billion) in proceeds from illicit online gambling.
According to Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau, the group allegedly recruited third-party agents to purchase gaming chips at Macau casinos using credit cards, before cashing out the chips.
The probe began in the second half of 2025, after the bureau identified suspicious fund flows from multiple bank accounts flagged for links to online gambling and fraud, according to a press release. The funds were channelled to accounts held by specific individuals and used to settle the credit card payments.
GGRAsia approached Macau’s Financial Intelligence Office for comment.
The authorities in Taiwan said the syndicate arranged for excess payments to be deposited into the accounts of recruited “card-swiping” agents in Taiwan, effectively raising their credit limits. These agents were then allegedly used to purchase large volumes of gaming chips at Macau casinos, convert the chips into Hong Kong dollars, and benefit from overseas credit card spending incentives, said the announcement.
Officials described the case as a first of its kind uncovered by Taiwan’s law enforcement agencies. The total amount of suspected illicit proceeds laundered overseas was estimated at TWD33 billion.
The case involved 85 credit cards and led to the arrest of 20 individuals, including two alleged ringleaders, according to local media reports citing a police briefing on Monday.
The authorities did not specify the period during which the alleged activities took place.
Assets seized in the operation included approximately TWD230.95 million held in bank accounts, about TWD2.62 million in cash, as well as money-counting machines, mobile phones and credit cards (pictured), the bureau said.
