It is thought that a former junket employee who stole approximately US$630K worth of chips from Malaysia's Genting Highlands casino has left the nation.

According to investigators, the suspect, Victor Lee, 44, is a fugitive who fled across the nation's border, probably to Thailand.  In an attempt to find him, Malaysian authorities are collaborating closely with border security organizations and may enlist Interpol's help.

A Few Chips Were Cashed

On August 2, Lee is accused of stealing the chips from a closed room at the expansive highland resort located 35 miles north of Kuala Lumpur, the country's capital.  Although they haven't been able to pinpoint the precise quantity, police claimed he was able to convert some of the chips into cash prior to his escape.

“Further investigations are still ongoing and we will track down any accomplices who made the chip exchange,” Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman told reporters Friday.

Lee may have possessed in-depth knowledge of chip handling processes and security protocols due to his previous employment with a casino junket organization, which organizes travel, lodging, and private gaming for high-stakes players.

Because they have access to locations and procedures that the general public does not witness, junket operators usually collaborate closely with casinos, particularly in private rooms.

Lower-denomination chips can be more difficult to trace, even if the majority of contemporary casinos incorporate RFID chips or distinct serial numbers into high-value tokens.  If stolen chips are mingled into genuine play before being reported as stolen in the casino's system, they can be redeemed.  Police think that some of the stolen chips have already been turned into cash, which could be explained by this.

 

Did Lee Act by Himself?

Additionally, authorities are investigating if Lee acted alone.  Others might have assisted in the gradual redemption of chips in smaller quantities, which would have made detection more challenging.

A junket room management reported the missing chips to the police, which led to the discovery of the theft.  Lee had already left the resort when casino security confirmed the loss and notified law enforcement.

One of the biggest casino complexes in Southeast Asia, Genting Highlands is run by Resorts World Genting and welcomes millions of tourists each year from Malaysia and other countries.