Macao Daily News ── To Know the Laws of Macao
Preventing and Combating the Crime of Trafficking in Persons

Published in newspaper on 04.08.2025

　　Preventing and combating the crime of trafficking in persons has always been a top priority for the Macao SAR Government. In 2007, the Human Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee was established, and in 2008, the crime of “trafficking in persons” was added to the Criminal Code. To ensure continued public awareness and to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, we are going to introduce the elements constituting the crime of “trafficking in persons” and related penalties today.

　　According to paragraph 1 of Article 153-A of the Criminal Code, the act of offering, delivering, inducing, recruiting, accepting, transporting, transferring, harbouring or receiving a person for the purpose of sexual exploitation, exploitation of labour or services of that person, in particular forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, removal of organs or tissues of human origin by violence, abduction, deception or fraud, or by means such as abuse of authority as a result of a hierarchical relationship and abuse of psychic incapacity of the victim constitutes the crime of “trafficking in persons” and the perpetrator shall be punished with a maximum penalty of 12 years of imprisonment.

　　If the victim is a minor, regardless of the means used by the perpetrator, as long as they were to achieve the purposes referred to in paragraph 1, the crime of “trafficking in persons” will be constituted and the perpetrator shall be punished with a maximum penalty of 15 years of imprisonment pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 153-A of the Criminal Code. If the victim is under the age of 14, the perpetrator shall even be punished with a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. If a person, by means of receiving benefits, surrenders or cedes a minor, or gives the consent to the adoption of a minor, etc., he shall be punished with a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment according to paragraph 4 of Article 153-A of the Criminal Code.

　　In addition, if the perpetrator retains, conceals, damages or destroys the identity or travel documents of a victim of trafficking in persons, etc., the crime of “trafficking in persons” will also be constituted and in general, the perpetrator shall be punished with a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment.

　　Therefore, if you suspect that someone may have committed the crime of “trafficking in persons”, please contact the police as soon as possible, or call the 24-hour human trafficking report and assistance hotline at 2888-9911 to provide information.

　　Note: The content of this article has references primarily to the provisions of Article 153-A of the Criminal Code and Article 6 of Law 6/2008 on Combat the Crime of Trafficking in Persons.

(Should you have any comments on this column, please write to the Legal Dissemination and Public Relations Department of the Legal Affairs Bureau, Alameda Dr. Carlos D’Assumpção, n.º 398, Edf. CNAC, 21.º andar, Macau or email 89872233@dsaj.gov.mo, with the inclusion of your name and contact means.)

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