Five Chinese nationals held over kidnaps

Preah Sihanouk provincial police have arrested five Chinese nationals suspected of unlawfully confining five other countrymen in order to extort money from their families.

Provincial police officer Major Seng Sophath identified the suspects as Yang Jun, 34, Hou Jian, 29, Jiu Fei Bin, 33, Wo Luo Yang, 24, and Huang Wan Ying, 25, all of whom were casino gamblers living in the province.

They were arrested on Monday after police raided the apartment where they were confining the victims, who owed them money that was borrowed to gamble, he said.

“The victims had borrowed money to gamble from the accused and did not have money to pay them back, so the suspects caught the five victims and confined them for a few  days at their rental house in order to extort money from their families,” he said. “They unlawfully confined the victims from June 30 to July 2 in Preah Sihanouk city.”

Maj Sophath identified the victims as Chen Dong Qin, 23, Jian Liang, 29, Zhi Quo, 27, Liang Yong Yong, 29 and Shi Hao Bo, 46, who were all tourists. Maj Sophath said the victims were persuaded to gamble at a casino in Preah Sihanouk city on Saturday night.