Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): At 1:50am on February 16, 2022, Phnom Penh police raided the "Color" hotel located on Preah Sothearos Street, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, where they made eight arrests.

According to sources from the police who conducted the operation, local residents had informed them that people were being held prisoner in the hotel. After further investigation, Phnom Penh Municipal Police, in cooperation with Chamkar Mon district police, then organized a raid on the hotel, where they searched and arrested eight people for kidnapping and extorting money.

Four of the arrested suspects are Chinese nationals and the other four are Cambodians; they have all been taken to the Phnom Penh Office of Criminal Investigation for further questioning.
The hotel has been temporarily closed down by the competent authorities.

UPDATE: Cambodians released.
50 mins ago - BREAKING NEWS
Four Chinese arrested over kidnaps in PP
PHNOM PENH police yesterday arrested three Chinese men and a woman in connection with the abduction and unlawful confinement of two countrymen in a bid to extort money from the families.

Chamkar Mon district deputy chief Major Som Piseth said yesterday that they were arrested at about 2am after a police team, led by the court’s deputy prosecutor, raided a Chinese-owned hotel named “Color” located in Tonle Basac commune.

He said that on Monday, police received a complaint from the victims’ families that the suspects had kidnapped the two men and were unlawfully confining them.

Maj Piseth noted that with the cooperation of the victims’ families, police were able to identify the suspects and track down where they were holding the hostages.

He said that during the raid, police arrested the four Chinese and also four Cambodians who are hotel employees. Police also rescued the two Chinese victims.

Maj Piseth added that police also seized other related materials such as handcuffs, electric flashlights, six phones and four passports from them.

“After police had completed questionings all the suspects, the deputy prosecutor ordered the release of the four Cambodians because they were not involved in the four Chinese suspects’ activities,” he said.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501026583/ ... aps-in-pp/

Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): According to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, on February 16, 2022 at 00:30, the light criminal police force cooperated with the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Investigation and Enforcement Bureau together with Chamkar Mon District Police Inspectorate and Tonle Bassac Administrative Police led by Mr. MOT Dara, in the arrest of a Chinese national at the Ka Le Hotel, also known as Color Creative Hotel, located on Sothearos Street, corner of Street 312, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh.

The suspect is identified as GAN HUA FENG, a 26-year-old Chinese man who works and stays at the Ka Le Hotel, also known as Color Hotel.
The victim who was held hostage was identified as ZHANG YANGFENG, a male Chinese national, living at the XI THANG Hotel, in Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville city.
Police also seized 1 small package of white crystals, scales, drug equipment ,4 mobile phones, and US$44,000 in cash.

February 25, 2022
Hotel employee charged with extorting $44k from Chinese man’s family
A hotel employee was charged yesterday in Phnom Penh Municipal Court for unlawfully confining a Chinese man in a hotel room and extorting $44,000 from his family in exchange for his release.

The family paid the money but the victim was not released.

The accused was identified as Gan Hua Feng, 26, working with a Chinese-owned-hotel called “Ka Le Hotel” alias “Color Creative Hotel” in Chamkar Mon district’s Tonle Bassac commune.

Gan was charged with “arrest, detention and unlawfully confinement” under Article 253 of the Criminal Code.

If convicted, Gan will face between three and five years in prison.

He was arrested on February 16 and is detained in prison pending trial.

District deputy police chief Major Som Piseth said around 2am on February 16, police led by the deputy prosecutor raided the hotel after receiving a report that a Chinese national was confined illegally in a hotel room and the kidnappers had extorted $44,000 from his family but did not release him.

He said according to the victim’s wife, on February 13 a group of Chinese men had bundled the victim from Preah Sihanouk province and took him to the hotel in Phnom Penh where they confined him in a room and extorted the money from the family.

With the cooperation of the wife, Maj Piseth said they managed to find the hotel, arrest the accused and save the victim on February 16.

He added that they also arrested four other Chinese nationals including three men and a woman besides four Cambodian hotel employees.

Police also managed to rescue Zhang Yang Feng, 45, who is the owner of a hotel in Preah Sihanouk province’s Buon commune.

Maj Piseth said the others arrested were released after they were found not involved in the illegal confinement
and extortion.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501031430/ ... ns-family/