Australians detained by China over casino promotion ‘face 16 months’

Three Australians among the Crown employees detained in China face potential jail terms of about 16 months.

Jiang Ling, one of the arrested Crown employees, and her husband Jeff Sikkema.

Three Australian citizens among the Crown Resort employees ­detained in China on accusations of promoting gambling face ­potential jail terms of about 16 months.

Sources in South Korea told The Australian that 13 Korean ­casino staffers arrested in June 2015 on similar charges were ­recently released by the Chinese.

The situation of 34 Chinese employees of the Korean casinos — Paradise Co and Grand Korea Leisure on Jeju island — also ­arrested, remains undisclosed.

The Australian Crown employees are Melbourne-based head of international VIP programs Jason O’Connor, who was arrested in Shanghai, Beijing-based Jerry Xuan, and Pan Dan, believed to be in Shanghai. Mr O’Connor is held in Shanghai First Detention Centre, in Pudong satellite city.

Chinese media has described the centre as comparatively ­“civilised”.

Liang Guodong, a Shanghai lawyer, said the centre handled foreign citizens and Chinese ­people suspected of serious crimes.

At the investigation stage, he said, lawyers could visit their ­clients within 48 hours of a ­request. “We meet in a modern ­interview room but one that is divided by bars,” he said.

Relatives of those being investigated are not permitted to visit until an ensuing court hearing is completed, Mr Liang said. The ­investigation stage might take weeks or months.

Shanghai-based American Jeff Sikkema’s wife Jiang Ling is among 15 Chinese Crown employees arrested. She has worked for the company for more than five years in an administrative role. Mr Sikkema said yesterday “she is still being held under investigation”.

A lawyer who has visited Ms Ling told Mr Sikkema that “she may be in a month” during investigations “or may be released”.

Chen Youxi, a prominent Shanghai lawyer who defended the Australians Matthew Ng and Charlotte Chou in high-profile cases, told The Australian he could offer legal assistance to the families of all 18 Crown employees.

Another Shanghai lawyer, who asked not to be named, said he was surprised a February warning about promoting gambling by a senior official of the Public Security Ministry had not rung alarm bells for casino companies.

Hua Jingfeng, a deputy bureau chief at the ministry which controls the police and other domestic security agencies, said: “A fair number of neighbouring countries have casinos, and they have set up offices in China to drum up interest from Chinese citizens. This will also be an area that we will crack down on.”

Crown has been promoting its facilities in China for at least 12 years.

Andrew Godwin, associate ­director of the Asian Law Centre at Melbourne University, said that China’s Criminal Law (Article 303) made it an offence to “gather people to engage in gambling”.

He said activities that fell ­within the scope of this offence ­included “organising 10 or more Chinese citizens to travel overseas to gamble, and receiving kickbacks or introduction fees from such activities”.

•Australian consular officials have been unable to provide support to one of the three Crown employees currently being detained by Chinese authorities due to questions over the man’s passport.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Sky News this morning the Australian government is still seeking access to one of the Crown Resorts executives after Chinese authorities were unable to determine which passport he entered the country on.

“There are still some questions about whether they entered on their Chinese or Australian passport,” she said. “So that’s being clarified. But we will continue to seek to have access.”

Ms Bishop said under Chinese law, the government has 30 days to investigate any allegations and make a decision about whether or not to charge them.

“That period can be extended up to seven days under Chinese law. So it could be some time,” she said.

Additional reporting: Simone Fox Koob