City cops close down extortion network

By Dong Hui  |   2008-8-8  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

JIADING District police said yesterday that they had cracked a gang who extorted local businessmen, opened illegal casinos and lent money at exorbitant rates of interest.

Police said they had taken Gan Qianglong, head of the gang who came from Fujian Province in China's south, into custody. A dozen gang members from Fujian were also arrested, police said.

The police also seized one home-made gun, 15 knives, four vehicles and a portable electric shock machine during the crackdown.

Police said Gan came to Jiading with his gang before 2005. The gangsters extorted local businessmen many times.

Victims were threatened and their stores were smashed if they refuse to obey Gan's requests, according to the Jiading District Public Security Bureau.

Almost all victims were intimidated to keep them from calling police or testifying.

The success of the gang's ability to threaten victims made it hard for the police to arrest Gan with competent evidence, police said.

Jiading police formed a special team with city criminal police on June 28, to plan Gan's arrest.

The task force was formed after a businessman in Jiading, surnamed Liu, was kidnapped on June 4 on his way home at dawn. He was taken to a wood house where he was tortured.