Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): According to a senior official of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, Mr. MOT Dara, Deputy Prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, on the evening of April 18, 2023, an investigation was opened into a group of foreign criminals on charges of kidnap and extortion. Five Chinese nationals were arrested at 2:00am on April 12, 2023, in connection with a case of forcible detention of a Chinese businessman in a bid to extort $10 million* ransom money, at the Sky Villa building in Veal Vong commune, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh.



The kidnapping caught on CCTV - Kohsantepheap
According to Lt. Gen. Hun Samnang, Director of the Intelligence Department of the National Police, after receiving a complaint from the victim's family in Cambodia, the specialized authorities of the Department of Intelligence launched a rescue operation on the night of the 13th April 2023.

Police conducted two raids on boreys in Phnom Penh: in the first one, they seized 1 white Alphard with license plate Phnom Penh 2BZ-9995, 1 black Alphard with license plate Takeo 2D-8888, 1 long gun, one pistol equipped with a muffler, one magazine, some pistol ammunition, a grenade launcher (handed over to CMAC), 2 knives, 3 pairs of handcuffs, 3 radios, 1 safe, 1 mobile phone 2 units, 2 ID cards, 1 bulletproof vest and some documents. In the second raid, police discovered and confiscated 1 ZOTAKI M9 06-T, 6 bullets, 1 magazine, 2 mobile phones (1 OPPO, 1 XIAOMI), one black bag, some cards, one passport, and one black Vellfire with license plate Phnom Penh 2BT-1768 .






The senior official said that Deputy Prosecutor Muth Dara is still questioning the suspects, who have not yet been formally charged, but what is known is that a group of armed Chinese men used a Vellfire car (with license plate Phnom Penh 2BT-1768) to kidnap the unnamed Chinese businessman from the Sky Villa underground carpark. In this case, the perpetrators who kidnapped the victim were demanding a ransom of 10 million dollars. The victim was liberated safely, but he is being treated for serious torture wounds inflicted by his captors.


In connection with the above case, the victims and the general public have requested that the law be strictly enforced against the suspects, who are members of an organized foreign criminal gang. These gangs are dangerous to society and their actions particularly affect the security of investors who come to invest in business in Cambodia.


*The ransom demanded was later reported to be $10M, not $1M.

That's some serious kit.

A nice modern AK, not some rusted piece from the countryside, a modern and silenced gun and even an hand grenade.
Also what look like decent rounds in good quantity.

This is not the stuff that you can score on the black market here easily, maybe a generic handgun yes but all that? What do you think?

Cambodia is becoming like Colombia in the 1990's. K&R was big business. Still is in some parts.

UPDATE
Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): Five Chinese nationals were remanded in custody on the afternoon of April 20, 2023, on charges of detaining a Chinese national with the intention of extorting up to 10 million US dollars.

The case is being directed by Moth Dara, Deputy Prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, after the recent crackdown on Sky Villa in Veal Vong commune, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh.

During the operation, the police arrested seven Chinese suspects, and after interrogation, they found that two of the Chinese nationals were not involved, so only five Chinese nationals were sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for legal action.

Cambodia News, Phnom Penh: The Investigating Judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on April 21, 2023, issued a detention order for 5 Chinese defendants after prosecutors charged them with illegal detention, torture to extort money, and possession of illegal weapons.
The gang of Chinese criminals were demanding US$10M for the release of their victim, a Chinese businessman, but the man's wife contacted the police to ask them for help.


The event occured two days before the Khmer New Year; a Chinese man was kidnapped at the parking lot of Sky Villa, located at Building 192, Street 163, Sangkat Veal Vong, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh. The gangsters demanded a ransom of $10M from the man's family, who promptly contacted the police. On receiving this information, police cracked down, raiding two different locations in Dangkor district, arresting a total of seven people, all Chinese nationals.


While the family of the victim asked the court to convict the suspects according to the law, there have been some questions asked about the identity and role of two Chinese nationals, who were arrested with the other five suspects in the police raids, but were subsequently released.

And they tortured the guy too. Utter scum. Send them to Prey Sar and lose the key.

UPDATE
Cambodian police have continued to search for members of this Chinese criminal gang, and another Chinese man, ZHAO YUNLEI, was arrested in Phnom Penh, on April 28, 2023.


Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): At 6:30 AM on April 28, 2023 at # 17, Street R02, Borey Peng Huoth, The Star Platinum Roseville, Sangkat Nirouth, Khan Chbar Ampov, Pnhom Penh, police authorities captured another criminal involved in the abduction of the same Chinese victim last week; he is ZHAO YUNLEI, a Chinese national, and the sixth suspect to be apprehended in this case, where the victim was kidnapped, tortured and held for $10M ransom.


The Investigating Judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on April 21, 2023, issued a detention order for 5 other Chinese suspects in connection with the same case, charged with illegal detention, torture to extort money, and possession of illegal weapons.

Please note that, the victim, who owns a garage near Wat Sampov Meas, first paid the criminals $ 100,000, then $ 50,000. However, the families of the victims cooperated well with the authorities to crack down on criminals, and the authorities have handed over the full amount of the $150,000 ransom back to the victim.

However, the case is not over yet. The victim has reported that he has received threats from the gang members in prison, who say they will seek revenge when they are released. Rumours say that the criminals have offered (?)millions of dollars to Cambodian authorities in exchange for their release. The investigation is on-going.