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The Correctional Services Department (CSD) will continue to spare no effort in stemming soccer gambling activities during Euro 2008.
Correctional officers today (June 5) carried out a special operation in Stanley Prison (SP) as part of the department's security measures against the recent attention on soccer gambling, a CSD spokesperson said.
This morning's operation involved removing 16 prisoners from association according to prison rules. They were suspected of being engaged in soccer bookmarking inside the prison.
The spokesperson said: "Despite verbal warnings, 88 prisoners from the same workshop refused to work in the afternoon to express their discontent. The prison management then took disciplinary actions against them and segregated them for further adjudication according to the Prison Rules."
The operation included searching a prison workshop. Led by the Chief Superintendent of Stanley Prison, 50 correctional officers from SP and CSD's Staff Training Institute were deployed in the operation.
Started at 10am and ending at 6pm, the operation was carried out smoothly without any resistance. Unauthorised articles including self-made gambling paraphernalia, more than 100 suspected soccer betting notes, food provisions and other articles were seized from the prison workshop. The total amount of betting involved was estimated to be $470,000.
"Correctional staff will spare no effort in detecting and clamping down any illicit activities inside penal institutions. The management of Stanley Prison is investigating the matter and will take appropriate action against any prisoners who breach prison discipline. We will continue our close monitoring of prisoners' activities," the spokesperson said.
As at April 30, a total of 26 seizures of soccer-related gambling paraphernalia have been carried out by the CSD this year. Thirty-eight prisoners were disciplined for involvement in soccer-related gambling activities and possession of gambling paraphernalia.
In 2007, a total of 262 prisoners were disciplined for their involvement in gambling activities. The penalties meted out included forfeiture of remission of 2,940 days, separate confinement of 2,675 days, forfeiture of privileges of 2,762 days and deprivation of earnings of 2,491 days.
Ends/Thursday, June 5, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:21
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