Chinese criminal gang involved in wildlife smuggling and gambling lands in police net (with video)

KATHMANDU: Four Chinese nationals — carrying out illegal activities from a hotel in Kathmandu’s Thamel – were arrested on Monday late night.

They were staying on the second floor of Jianghu Khajan hotel. Upon reaching the hotel on the basis of information that criminal activities were taking place there, a team of police from Lainchaur inquired about them.

The Chinese nationals responded that they were customers of the hotel.

Police, however, did not go back since they had already received the information of some illegal activities being carried out from the hotel room.

Police then carried out a raid of their hotel room where they found out two large table-like objects, which were electronic tables used for gambling.

The police also recovered 410 pieces of dots called ‘majang’ written in the Chinese language. In fact, the Chinese nationals were operating a mini-casino inside the hotel. There were only four of them.

Police then took them under control.

Meanwhile, the police also recovered some wildlife parts, including tiger skin, teeth, 20 pieces of musk glands, Rudraksha and ATM cards, and vouchers of various banks.

Likewise, police also recovered some bay leaves, and cinnamon from the room.

The hotel where they were staying has been rented and operated by a Chinese national Weilang Xi for the last five years. However, the police did not find her.

Police later came to know that she had already returned to China some time ago. It is not clear whether she absconded or returned to China. Police, however, arrested her partners Ma Jingwing, Niu Yuling, Peng Hui and Zhou Pencheng.

According to SSP Ashok Singh, they reached the hotel on the basis of information as the police were well-aware of increased Chinese national’s illicit activities in Kathmandu.

Police suspect that the Chinese nationals could have been involved in banking fraud since police recovered ATM cards of 35 banks, vouchers, and bills of Rs. 800 thousand.

Although the main operator is absconding, her accomplices have been arrested. An investigation is underway, police said.

Police suspect that some Nepalis could have been involved in such a heinous crime taking place in the hotel in Jyatha of Thamel area.