Xie Zhiluo, known as “Asia’s drug king”.
Canadian-Chinese drug lord Xie Zhiluo, known as the “King of Asia” and who has been travelling between Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in recent years, was arrested in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on Friday. He is suspected of smuggling all kinds of drugs in more than 10 countries and regions, and his organization controls the annual drug trade of US$70 billion (about HK$540 billion) in the Asia-Pacific region. He is listed as one of the world’s most wanted criminals, along with the famous Mexican drug lord Guzman, nicknamed “Shorty”.
Dutch police spokesman Alin confirmed that Tse, 56, was arrested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport last Friday (22) at the request of Australian police and was not resisted during the arrest.
The authorities said Xie is expected to be extradited to Australia after appearing in court for questioning. Alyn said Xie was listed as the most wanted man and was arrested based on information received.
He is suspected of smuggling methamphetamine, heroin and ketamine, commonly known as ketamine, in more than a dozen countries and regions, and his organization controls the $70 billion (more than HK$540 billion) annual drug trade in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Australian media reported that Hsieh was caught on a flight from Taiwan to Canada with a connecting flight in the Netherlands. The Australian Federal Police said Hsieh was suspected of trafficking billions of Australian dollars (HK$5.97 billion) of drugs into Australia since 2008.
Tse’s cartel has been involved in the production and trafficking of methamphetamine, heroin and ketamine across borders, and has been directly or indirectly involved in at least 13 drug trafficking cases since January 2015. Tse was accused of managing a drug trafficking syndicate with estimated profits of HK$61.6 billion in 2018, with drug businesses spanning Asia, including China, Japan, Australia, Thailand, Burma, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan; the syndicate consists of Hong Kong’s Ten X K, and X and, the Big Circle Gang and Taiwan’s Chuk Yuen Gang, and allied with Japanese gangs. Large drug production lines in Myanmar, some local militants involved in the operation, Myanmar police have busted a large number of drugs packaged in tea leaves.
According to anti-drug officials, the drug trafficking organization is very rich, with an estimated annual revenue of between US$3.8 billion and US$17.7 billion (HK$29.4 billion to HK$137 billion), and is disciplined, experienced, and in many ways more sophisticated and rigorous than drug trafficking organizations in Latin America.
Because of its low profile and secrecy, police in many countries have very little information about this organization. In October 2009, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) led some 20 law enforcement agencies around the world in the largest-ever operation against an Asian drug cartel, targeting Tse Chi Lok.
Douglas, head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Southeast Asia and Pacific Office, described Tse as “Asia’s Guzman,” on par with the famous Mexican drug lord Guzman, nicknamed “Shorty,” and even the late Colombian drug lord Escobar.
In addition, Xie Zhiluo has successfully gathered the gangsters of other countries to share the profits, such as the Canadian “big circle gang” also have a share. Douglas said that this means that Canada’s drugs and even money laundering are related to Xie’s group; in the past few years, the United Nations has been working with the police in Australia, China and Myanmar to track down Xie Zhiluo.
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