US$1.68 million not enough for gang ( 2003-10-30 10:16) (China Daily)
The suspected mastermind behind a million dollar
ransom for a kidnapped Taiwan businessman is still on the run, after police
closed in on his gang earlier this month in the city of Dongguan in the Pearl
River Delta.
The 37-year-old allegedly behind the abduction, a man
surnamed Pan, escaped in a car when police made their move to rescue the Taiwan
investor surnamed Guo, 52.
Guangdong police swooped when Pan and four other suspects, who he had
allegedly hired to assist in the kidnapping, were putting Guo onto a car -- he
was in a big bag. Cash totalling 134,067 yuan (US$16,153) was also seized.
Guo was kidnapped at 11:40 pm on October 22 when he was driving home in
Dongguan's Houjie Town.
It is claimed that Pan went to Taiwan the following day to demand a ransom.
But Guo was not released after his wife paid Pan US$1.68 million. It prompted
Guo's nephew to report the incident to police.
The Dongguan Municipal Bureau of Public Security established a task force
consisting of 80 experienced officers.
After three days of investigation, they discovered Pan was facing mounting
debts and placed him under surveillance before making their move.
Pan, also from Taiwan, runs a shoe factory in Dongguan. It has debts of more
than 5 million yuan (US$602,410) because of poor management, it is claimed.
He returned to Dongguan after receiving the ransom on October 25.
In another development, Guangdong police have also closed 2,097 underground
Mark Six lottery outlets throughout the province during a sting ending on
October 20.
More than 18,000 suspects, including bankers and gamblers, were detained
during the three-month-long campaign, which started on July 18.
And 691 gambling gangs were rounded up, dealing a heavy blow to the
province's underground gambling activities.
Police have worked on 6,939 gambling-related cases over the past three
months.
Meanwhile, five cars, 53 photocopy machines, 69 fax machines and other tools
of the trade have also been seized.
On July 24, Guangdong police uncovered the province's biggest underground
Mark Six case in Yunfu, detaining nine suspects.
More than 15 million yuan (US$1.81 million) in cash was found at a secret
lottery outlet in a home.
Other major underground Mark Six cases have been reported in the cities of
Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan and Zhongshan.