Man convicted of operating money service online without licence

     A man was sentenced to community service of 160 hours today (September 14) at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts after being convicted of operating a money service without a valid licence.
 
     Customs officers in November last year conducted an investigation against a man who was suspected of operating a remittance business without a licence via a social media platform. After an in-depth investigation, Customs officers discovered that the man used the personal particulars of his mother to create a bank account to operate the remittance business.
 
     Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance, a person who wishes to operate a remittance or money changing service needs to first obtain a licence from the Customs and Excise Department. The maximum penalty for such operators without a valid licence upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     Customs reminds consumers to procure services from licensed money service operators. A register of licensees is accessible from the website of Customs' Money Service Operators Licensing System at eservices.customs.gov.hk/MSOS/wsrh/001s1?request_locale=en.
 
     Members of the public may report any suspected unlicensed money service operation to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).