When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Crime
Thailand Suspends Prison Boss Over Alleged Privileges for Chinese Inmates
Thai authorities have suspended a prison chief in Bangkok over allegations that high-profile Chinese inmates were granted access to women in a private cell and other privileges, the justice ministry said. The scandal erupted last week after local media reported two ...
Chinese Woman Who Faked Nationality to Become Philippine Mayor Jailed for Trafficking
A Chinese woman who faked Philippine nationality to become a town mayor was sentenced Thursday to life in prison on human trafficking charges, a Manila regional court said. Alice Guo, who served as mayor of a town north of the capital, ...
Indonesia Detains Man Wanted in China Over $138 Million Loan Default
Indonesian authorities said on Tuesday they had detained a Chinese real estate executive wanted over the default of a $138 million corporate loan. The 58-year-old man, identified only as WZ, was arrested on Indonesia's western island of Batam on Thursday after ...
The Capture of a Chinese Fentanyl Kingpin Sets Off a Storm of Pride and Unease Online
The recent capture of Zhang Zhidong, a Chinese fentanyl kingpin, by Mexican authorities has triggered a wave of conflicted reactions across Chinese social media. He quickly earned the nickname “the Chinese Walter White,” a reference to the anti-hero of ...
Alleged Chinese Scam Kingpin Extradited From Thailand: Police
An alleged Chinese racketeer linked to a hugely lucrative scam hub in Myanmar was extradited from Thailand to China on Wednesday, a police official in Bangkok told AFP. She Zhijiang had been in Thai custody since 2022 after spending more than ...
Thai Court Rules Chinese Scam Hub Tycoon to Be Extradited
A tycoon linked to illegal scam hub operations on the Thai-Myanmar border will be extradited to face criminal charges in China, a court in Bangkok ordered on Monday. Chinese businessman She Zhijiang, 43, has been in detention in Thailand since 2022, ...
China Issues Death Sentences to 5 Members of Myanmar Gang
China sentenced five people to death on Tuesday for their involvement in a violent criminal gang with fraud operations in Myanmar's Kokang region along the border, state media reported. Scam compounds have flourished in Myanmar's lawless borderlands, staffed by foreigners -- ...
Alleged Chinese Fentanyl Kingpin Extradited From Cuba to US: Mexico Govt
A Chinese citizen accused of trafficking fentanyl has been extradited from Cuba to the United States, according to the Mexican government, which helped facilitate the transfer. Zhi Dong Zhang -- known as "Brother Wang" -- escaped house arrest in Mexico in ...
Cuba Captures Chinese Fentanyl Kingpin Wanted by Mexico, U.S.
Cuba has arrested a Chinese fentanyl kingpin who escaped from custody in Mexico in July and is also wanted by the United States, Mexican security sources told AFP on Wednesday. The trafficker Zhi Dong Zhang, known by the alias "Brother Wang," ...
More than 2,000 Arrests in Raid on Notorious Scam Hub in Myanmar
Myanmar’s army said more than 2,000 people were arrested in a raid on KK Park, a notorious center for telecom scams close to the Thai border. The military reportedly also seized thirty terminals used to connect the center to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet network. ...
Shooting at Chinese-Run Mine in Zimbabwe Rekindles Tensions With Local Communities
Tensions between the Chinese business community and local residents in eastern Zimbabwe are boiling in the aftermath of a shooting earlier this month at a Chinese-run mine. The incident took place on October 9th at a mine owned by Zhuhe ...
Mass Arrests in Myanmar as Scam Gang Crackdown Heads to Court
More than 57,000 Chinese nationals have been arrested in Myanmar amid a mass crackdown on gangs running telecoms fraud operations, frequently staffed by victims of trafficking. China’s Ministry of Public Security announced the arrests on Wednesday and said they were carried ...