Macau body parts ‘are missing ex-HK cop’

Macau body parts ‘are missing ex-HK cop’ – Staff Reporter (The Standard - 12/11/08)

Macau police believe a dismembered body found yesterday is that of missing former Hong Kong policeman Lai King-man.

The gruesome discovery was made by a man who rented a flat in Porto Exterior from one of six men arrested over Lai’s disappearance.

Macau Judiciary Police said they believed the remains were that of Lai, 60, who was last seen in September.

“The fact that the body was found in a flat rented out by one of the suspects is why we believe it is Lai King-man,” a police spokesman said.

He described Lai as a “compulsive gambler” at Macau casinos and likely killed over gambling debts.

The man who discovered the body said he detected a strong smell in the flat. He then found in one room three suitcases containing five bags of human remains – a severed head, legs, arms and torso wrapped in several layers of trash bags.

Police said the remains were those of a man who had died at least a month ago. The torso and head had wounds inflicted by a sharp object, but tests to determine the cause of death are ongoing. And a DNA test will be carried out soon to confirm the man’s identity.

Lai was rumored to have lost a large sum of money at an underground casino some years ago. He had not been seen since he was taken by alleged debt collectors on September 6 from a Macau casino where he had been gambling with two friends.

His family held a funeral for him on October 21 without the body. At the ceremony, marked by a heavy police presence, his daughter expressed a wish that her father’s case would be solved.

The former policeman had previously been arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to running one of the largest heroin smuggling rackets in the world. The operation was thought to have brought in about HK$1.58 billion during 1986 and 1987.

2. Summary

A dismembered body was found in a flat of Macau. The police of Macau believed that is remains of former Hong Kong Policeman Lai King-man who is missing two months ago. One of the suspects is Lai’s friend who described him as a “compulsive gambler” at Macau casinos and likely killed over gambling debts. He detected a strong smell in the flat firstly, then discovered the limbs and torso were inside of three suitcases. Police said the remains of the man who had died at least a month ago. His family has held a funeral for him on October 21 without the body.

3. Feedback

This terrible event happened on account of gambling that is harmful to a person’s future. Gambling actually is an entertainment which can reduce the players’ stress and relax themselves. But nowadays, most people distort the original intention and make use of it to lead more people to indulge in gambling. It is a serious problem that affects our city and we should resolutely say no with gambling in order to prevent us from choosing the wrong side. In this case, Lai indulged in gambling, troubled his family members, eventually lost his all money, family as well as valuable life that is because he chose the wrong side. In fact, if he did not touch gambling, that all the things could not be happened, his future may be bright and blissful with his family.