Strange Goings-On at Xin Tian Di Casino in Sihanoukville

Cambodia News, (Sihanoukville): According to the preliminary report, on April 13, 2023, at 12:00, a Cambodian man called to register a complaint on the hotline number of Preah Sihanouk Provincial Police, that his friend KO HUNGCHI, a Taiwanese man, was being forcibly detained and tied to a bed with handcuffs to prevent him from leaving a room in the Xin Tian Di Casino.

The prisoner was being held captive in Room 715 on the 7th floor of Xin Tian Di Casino Company, located in Village 6, Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk Province,( with Casino License No. 094K A is valid until December 31, 2026), and the official owner of the casino is named as Cambodian, Rithy Raksmey, [However, further investigation identifies Liu XILU as the director of the casino.]

When the specialized force of Preah Sihanouk Provincial Police received the information about the kidnapping and extortion on a Taiwanese man by a gang of Chinese criminals, they raided the casino hotel rooms and opened the door of room 715, 7th floor, where they found a 2-room suite; the outer room had 2 Cambodian men guarding the victim named in the complaint, KO HUNGCHI ,who was being kept in the inner room. After that, the police searched the Cambodians' possessions and found some items such as handcuffs, straps, a pistol, and ammunition.

Later, the team searched the premises to arrest the boss who was behind the kidnapping operation, a Chinese man nicknamed "BAO GE", and he was also taken into custody. The four men: one Taiwanese victim, two Cambodian guards, and the mainland Chinese boss were brought to the Sihanoukville Provincial Police for questioning.
1. Name: KO HUNGCHI, male, Chinese (Taiwan) (victim).
2. 2-Name: Sun Chantha, Male, 41 years old, Nationality: Khmer, Occupation: Casino staff (Human confinement).
3. 3-Name: Chhorn Thea, Gender: Male, Age: 41 years old, Nationality: Khmer, Occupation: Employee (Human Detainee)
4. 4-Name: LU KE Mainland Chinese boss man (commanding two Cambodian staff to detain people).

According to the explanation of the victim in the lawsuit, KO HUNGCHI, on June 12, 2022, he flew from Taiwan to Cambodia through Phnom Penh International Airport, then continued to Sihanoukville, where he worked as a computer employee for many companies.

Then, on April 6, 2023, at around 8:30am, the Taiwanese victim made an appointment with A JUN in the office on the 3rd floor of Xin Tian Di Casino Company.* Upon arrival, he was told to go to work in room 715, on the 7th floor, but when he went into the room , about 10 people grabbed him and locked the door , then forced him to sign a paper acknowledging a debt of $120,000, before leaving him prisoner with the two Cambodian guards.

On April 10, 2023, the mainland Chinese boss of the kidnapping and his henchmen beat up their Taiwanese prisoner, kicking and punching him until he was almost unconscious. The Chinese boss demanded money, and took a gun, menacing to shoot him in the head. On April 11 and 12, 2023, the two Cambodian guards left the man handcuffed to a bed for two days.
Then, on April 12, 2023, at night, the Taiwanese prisoner managed to contact his Cambodian friends to ask for help, and then the Sihanoukville police arrived to rescue him.
The two Cambodian guards told the police that they were also captives, but were following the orders of the Chinese boss, LU KE, alias BAO GE.
They said that LU KE, nicknamed "BAO GE" , called on April 6, 202, with the message that, "KO HUNGCHI owes Company money »but he did not say how much exactly, but that it was more than 100,000 US dollars. The Chinese man made the order to take the Taiwanese man to room 715, and make him sign a letter of debt and to keep him prisoner. The two Cambodian guards, Sun Chantha and Chhorn Thea, were allegedly paid $ 50 a day to make sure that he didn't escape.

* Here we have a "Pass the buck" on who is responsible for the kidnapping and illegal detentionof a Taiwanese national on the premises of Xin Tian Di Casino Company, which is owned by Rithy Raksmey, because it is alleged that[*] from 22 March 2023, the second floor to the ninth floor was leased to Ouk Sok Kheang, and then on 1 April 2023, Ouk Sok Kheang transferred the lease to ZUO BENFA, a Chinese national.