Efforts to fight financial crime and money laundering in Hong Kong could be boosted after the city's monetary authority confirmed it would consider the introduction of biometric security at ATMs.The Hong Kong Monetary Authority potentially sees merit in the introduction of biometric security at ATMs, an official confirmed this week.”We have just found out that Macau has adopted this new technology. We will be studying this technology to see if this can enhance security,” authority chairman Norman Chan Tak-lam said after a Legislative Council meeting.The statement came after local newspaper the South Chain Morning Post revealed that local banks may need to boost ATM security in the battle against financial crime and money laundering, following the footstep of Macau. “There are still other possibilities. For example, some people are suggesting whether fingerprints verification can be deployed. Can this replace the use of password or should the two be used at the same time?…Now that Macau has this new technology, we are happy to study.”Chan made the remarks as official figures showed that the number of suspicious transaction reports received by the police skyrocketed from 23,282 in 2012 to 76,590 last year, leaving investigators struggling to cope. Meanwhile, the number of convictions sank from 160 in 2012 to 102 last year.

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