According to the original report, Preah Sihanouk provincial gendarmes investigated suspected unlawful detention, abuse and extortion at the «ស៊ីងហោភីក» casino in Village 4 and a villa in Village 5, both in Sihanoukville’s Sangkat 4, between May 7 and 9, 2026. Four suspects—three Chinese nationals and one Cambodian—were detained, and a Chinese man described as seriously injured with multiple wounds was rescued.
The report said the operation followed instructions from Sao Sokha, deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and national gendarmerie commander, and Mang Sineth, governor of Preah Sihanouk. It was directed by provincial gendarmerie commander ហេង ប៊ុនទី, with legal-procedure coordination by a representative of the prosecutor’s office attached to the provincial Court of First Instance.
Citing an enforcement report, the article said provincial gendarmes received information on May 7, 2026 about a Chinese man allegedly kidnapped for ransom by Chinese suspects. A white LEXUS NX 200 T with Phnom Penh registration 2BT-4899 was reportedly abandoned in ស្មាច់ដែង village, Ream commune, Sihanoukville.
Officers went to the abandoned vehicle, took it to the provincial gendarmerie headquarters for safekeeping and continued searching for suspects and the victim.
The original report said ten gendarmes led by Lieutenant Colonel សួ ស៊ន, head of the provincial gendarmerie’s investigation and crime-suppression department, surrounded a villa in Village 5, Sangkat 4, at 18:40 on May 9. Deputy prosecutor វុធ សាវី coordinated legal procedures.
According to the report, suspects became aware of the surrounding officers and tried to flee. The victim took the opportunity to run out of the villa and received assistance from the officers.
The report identified the victim as HUANG ZEWEI, a 31-year-old Chinese man living in Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville. It cited officers as describing him as seriously injured with multiple wounds when rescued.
The report listed the four suspects as:
1. LAN HUAI MIN, 36, Chinese, occupation unspecified, living in Village 5, Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville.
2. SHIY INGYA, 36, Chinese, occupation unspecified, living in Village 5, Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville.
3. ZHENG XIANG ZHU, 35, Chinese, occupation unspecified, living in Village 5, Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville.
4. ជា ជ័យជេស្ដា, 24, Cambodian, a driver living in Village 5, Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville.
The reported items seized were:
1. One pair of Phnom Penh 2BA-9099 vehicle registration plates;
2. Seven pairs of handcuffs;
3. One pointed iron implement;
4. One round iron pipe about 2.5 metres long;
5. One pair of pliers;
6. Two knuckle-dusters;
7. One rubber cord;
8. One small knife;
9. Two two-way radios;
10. Two small towels with bloodstains;
11. One curtain with bloodstains;
12. One bloodstained pillowcase reportedly used to cover the face;
13. One blue plastic tarpaulin with bloodstains;
14. One broken gold-coloured iron table leg;
15. One black suitcase;
16. Six mobile phones;
17. One Cambodian passport;
18. One Chinese passport;
19. One Lao passport.
The report cited officers as saying the case had been planned in advance and involved approximately seven to eight Chinese suspects, one of whom knew the victim. Officers said the group had prepared handcuffs, a suitcase and other equipment, arranged vehicles and a house, and used three cars in rotation to evade detection.
Officers said the suspect who knew the victim invited him to a casino near the Two Lions landmark. After arriving, the victim was taken to the first floor, where four suspects allegedly posed as Chinese police, claimed he had committed an offence and restrained him.
Officers said the suspects handcuffed the victim, bound his feet and placed him in a large black suitcase before transporting him to the villa using three cars in succession. The report cited officers as saying he was abused at the villa and the suspects extorted and received US$50,000.
At the time of the original report, the four suspects had been taken to the provincial gendarmerie’s specialist office for further investigation and preparation of a case file for referral to the provincial Court of First Instance. The report gave no court judgment. ដោយ៖ សុខ ស៊ីណាន
