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Chongqing News

Chongqing police destroy two large transnational kidnapping and extortion criminal syndicates

2020-10-30 15:06:29

Chongqing police destroyed 5 illegal dens inside and outside the country, and arrested 121 suspects. (Picture provided by the police)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Recently, the Chongqing police announced that a kidnapping and extortion case involving a cross border gambling was announced. It destroyed 2 criminal groups, 5 illegal dens inside and outside the country and 121 suspects, and rescued 7 hostages.

They think that “Pies fall from the sky”, unexpectedly falling into gambling trap

“It doesn’t matter whether you gamble or not. I will provide you with free air tickets and you can go as a tourist. Moreover, you can go anytime if you win.” Last year, Mr. Zeng, a citizen of Chongqing, was moved by an “invitation to gamble” on WeChat. At that time, he did not realize that this was a carefully planned scam, and this WeChat also became the beginning of his nightmare of being kidnapped and extorted in a foreign country.

On October 1, 2019, Zeng went to the Yuzhong District Branch of Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau to report that he had been kidnapped in a southeast Asian country and held for ransom of 610,000 yuan.

"They are so ferocious, I felt like falling in purgatory on earth.” Mr. Zeng told the police that there were still many people kidnapped like himself in a certain country in southeast Asia. They were detained in a dark room and experienced various abuses.

The kidnappers hid 290 victims across the country

Knowing that the case was serious and complicated, Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau quickly established a special case headquarters, mobilizing more than 330 capable police officers from multiple types of police, to fully investigate the case.

“After in-depth investigation and evidence collection, it was discovered that this was a transnational criminal group with a clear division of labor and great harm.” According to the police of the task force, the group is headed by the criminal suspect Wu, and its main members have criminal records. “Code scrubbers” and “intermediaries” looked for gamblers, used gambling chips as bait to lure the gamblers to a casino in a southeast Asian country, then carry out kidnapping and harm, and extorting property from their families.

According to investigation, there were more than 290 victims like Zeng, covering 29 provinces and municipalities across the country, involving more than 70 million yuan.

“We also dig deep into the association of the Mei criminal group that committed crimes by the same means.” According to the relevant person in charge of the task force, the police investigated and locked more than 120 suspects in the two groups.

“The case has a large number of victims, a huge amount of money involved, and its cruel methods have seriously violated the lives and property of the people of our country.” The relevant person in charge of the task force introduced that after the case was reported to the Ministry of Public Security, the main leaders of the Ministry of Public Security directed that they must be resolutely cracked down and thoroughly eradicate this cancer of transnational crime.

At the same time, both at home and abroad, the police destroyed transnational criminal groups in one fell swoop

“When I saw you, I knew we would be safe.” At about 9:00 p.m. local time on January 20, 2020, at a hostage holding center in southeast Asia, when the police rushed into the stronghold to control the suspects, the seven kidnapped victims burst into tears. The moment they were kidnapped, expecting the police to rescue them. Now they have finally arrived.

Through the strict control of the police, the task force decided to close the Internet at the same time inside and outside the country, and wipe out all the suspects. “Attention, all groups, it’s the time to arrest, please act immediately.” At 11:45 on January 20, 57 arrest groups at the same time, Wu, Mei and all the core members of the two criminal groups were all arrested, the scene to rescue 7 victims.

“As long as it violates the safety of the people’s lives and property, even if it is far away, it will be punished.” The person in charge of the task force said that more than 330 police officers on the task force spent more than 4 months in and outside the country, and eventually all the suspects were arrested and brought to justice.

In recent years, the Chinese police have continuously strengthened international law enforcement cooperation with the police of various countries, and severely cracked down on various transnational criminal activities. For criminals who dare to commit crimes that infringe on the rights and interests of Chinese citizens, the police will resolutely crack down on them and will never be merciless. Regarding those who organize and participate in cross-border gambling illegal and criminal activities, the Chinese police has always adhered to “zero tolerance” and resolutely cracked down on cross-border gambling crimes and related crimes in accordance with the law. We hereby inform gambling personnel, immediately stop illegal and criminal activities, and take the initiative surrendered. (Translated by Luo Juan, Fathom Language Limited)

Editor:Jiang Yiwei