Chinese actor Wang Xing was kidnapped and taken to a scamming center in Myanmar, but has been successfully rescued and safely arrived in Thailand. He is expected to return to China in the coming days. Meanwhile, the mastermind behind Wang’s kidnapping has been captured. According to reports, the boss, nicknamed “Golden Tiger” and known as “Master Yu,” is from Guangdong and is said to be known by many police officers in the Chinese Communist Party.
Wang Xing was discovered in Shwe Kokko, a town in Myawaddy Township, Myanmar, which locals refer to as a hub for gambling, telecommunications fraud, and illegal trading, as reported by the Thai Inquiry News. On January 7th, while on a plane to Bangkok, Thailand, Wang Xing recounted his experience at the scamming center. He mentioned being forced to undergo 2 to 3 days of scam training in a building with 50 other Chinese people upon entering Myanmar. He expressed fear and anxiety, worrying that if he couldn’t be rescued, he would be forced to scam his fellow compatriots for a living.
Rescue teams targeted two locations where Chinese individuals were being held captive. The first location had 10 Chinese individuals, while the second had 50. Wang Xing was rescued from the second location. Wang mentioned experiencing high stress every day, sleepless nights, inadequate food intake, and even a lack of time for basic needs like using the restroom after being kidnapped.
Inspector-General Tachachai of the Royal Thai Police stated in an interview with the Thai media on January 8th that Wang Xing was lured out of the country under the guise of participating in a casting opportunity, only to realize he had been deceived upon reaching a neighboring country.
Tachachai also assured that multiple Thai government departments would ensure Wang Xing’s protection and care until he and his family are ready, at which point the Chinese embassy in Thailand would coordinate his return to China within 1 to 2 days.
According to Chinese media personnel based in Thailand, Yue Han, Wang Xing’s disappearance has caused great concern in Thai society, with fears that it may deter Chinese tourists and impact the tourism industry. There is also growing resentment among Thai people towards transnational crimes involving Chinese individuals.
In addition to Wang Xing’s rescue, Thai authorities successfully dismantled the “Apollo Glory” company, linked to the kidnapping, and arrested its boss, known as “Golden Tiger” or “Master Yu,” from Guangdong, China, as reported by Malaysia’s Sin Chew Daily. The company was the largest labor intermediary in the local reserved area and was responsible for Wang Xing’s abduction. The enforcer, Jin Can, under “Golden Tiger,” was also apprehended.
Reports suggest that the mastermind behind the scenes, “Golden Tiger,” is a key player in cross-border telecommunications fraud and kidnapping operations in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar. He has companies in multiple Chinese cities involved in illegal activities such as kidnapping, telecommunications fraud, and money laundering.
Leaked chat records online reveal that “Golden Tiger” also goes by the aliases “Brother Tiger,” “Big Sea,” and “Big Gold.” Besides “Apollo Glory,” he owns the Glory Group and Golden Sun International Company. It is known that “many police officers in China are familiar with this boss.”