Ho Chi Minh City police bust Chinese-led kidnapping gang, rescue victim safely

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Vietnamese police have arrested a group of Chinese and Vietnamese criminals for kidnapping a Chinese national and demanding a $400,000 ransom in cryptocurrency. The victim was safely rescued in a tactical police raid.

On March 6, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department confirmed that they had arrested five suspects on charges of illegal detention.

Ma Cai (49), Fan GuoHui (39), and Li Chuang (47) – all Chinese nationals.

Le Thi Bich Xuyen (35, from Can Tho) and Huynh Van Toan (30, from Binh Dinh) – Vietnamese nationals.

Another Vietnamese suspect, Nguyen Thanh Vu (31, from Binh Dinh), was also arrested for illegal detention.

At 6 AM on February 28, Ho Chi Minh City’s Criminal Police Department received a report about a kidnapping and ransom case involving Chinese suspects with assistance from Vietnamese accomplices.

The city’s police force, under the direction of the Ministry of Public Security, launched an immediate investigation.

Using advanced tracking techniques and intelligence from local informants, authorities identified six suspects and located their hideout in Pham Van Hai commune, Binh Chanh district. The location was remote, heavily wooded, and far from residential areas, making it a strategic hideout for the gang.

Due to concerns that the kidnappers were armed and dangerous, police devised a tactical raid plan.

After careful preparation, officers launched a surprise raid, successfully arresting all suspects and rescuing the hostage unharmed.

At the police station, the suspects confessed to the crime.

According to their statements, the three Chinese masterminds - Ma Cai, Fan GuoHui, and Li Chuang - devised the kidnapping scheme to extort money from the victim.

They demanded a ransom of 600,000 USDT (a cryptocurrency equivalent to 10 billion VND).

Since they were unfamiliar with Vietnam’s geography, they hired local Vietnamese accomplices to monitor the victim’s movements. The Vietnamese gang members were paid tens of millions of dong for their assistance.

In the early hours of February 28, as soon as the victim stepped out of a car, Fan GuoHui and the Vietnamese accomplices ambushed him, forcing him into another vehicle. Ma Cai and Li Chuang followed on motorcycles to keep watch.

The victim was taken to an isolated location, where the gang threatened him and demanded the ransom. However, their plan was foiled by the swift action of the police.

The case is still under further investigation, with authorities working to determine if more individuals were involved in the criminal operation.

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