Crown’s executives detained in China would most likely be facing cramped conditions, sharing a jail cell with up to 14 other inmates each and being forced to wash in cold water out of a bucket.
Chinese jail and detention centre facilities are notorious for their poor conditions, including filthy squat toilets, which have prompted international diplomats to raise concerns during regular human rights dialogues.
Most of the 18 Crown executives who were arrested in late-night raids in Shanghai and Chengdu, in the Sichuan province, are being held after they were yesterday charged with gambling-related crimes.
However, the Chinese judicial system is notoriously slow and opaque and the group could be waiting months before they are able to answer the charges in court.
Criminal trials in China often last only one day, with the verdict predetermined in backroom deals before the hearing begins.