The Criminal Police Division (PC02) of Ho Chi Minh City Police, on March 6, urgently arrested Ma Cai, 49, the mastermind and leader, Fan GuoHui, 39, Li Chuang, 47, both Chinese nationals, along with Le Thi Bich Xuyen, 35, residing in Can Tho, Huynh Van Toan, 30, and Nguyen Thanh Vu, 31, residing in Binh Dinh Province, for "Illegal Detention" and "Extortion."
At around 6 a.m. on February 28, the PC02 received a report that a Chinese man had been kidnapped for ransom.
Within four hours, the police identified Ma Cai as the mastermind, along with Fan GuoHui and Li Chuang. Toan, Xuyen, and Vu were also found to be accomplices. Investigators determined that the victim was being held in Pham Van Hai Commune, Binh Chanh District, near Hoc Mon District, in an area with difficult terrain, dense vegetation, and far from residential zones. Therefore, the police devised a plan to apprehend the suspects and rescue the victim.
When the suspects realized they were surrounded, they resisted violently, using weapons and preparing tools and vehicles for an escape. However, police swiftly subdued and arrested the entire group while ensuring the victim’s safety.
At the police station, Ma Cai, Fan GuoHui, and Li Chuang admitted to orchestrating the kidnapping, threatening the victim, and demanding a ransom of over US$600,000 (VND10 billion). Since they were unfamiliar with the area, they hired Toan, Xuyen, and Vu to monitor the victim’s daily routine and provide necessary information, offering them a commission.
In the early hours of February 28, the group spotted the victim exiting a car and immediately abducted him, forcing him into a four-seater vehicle. Ma Cai and Li Chuang followed behind on motorbikes to oversee the operation. The group then took the victim to an empty lot, where they threatened him and demanded the ransom.
