Cops arrest 65 over links to crime gang
By Li Qian |
December 8, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
POLICE have arrested 65 members of a mafia-like criminal organization that is responsible for murders, gang rapes, drug trafficking and other crimes in the central city of Hengyang, Hengyang Daily reported yesterday.
The arrests were made on October 21 but not announced until recently as police continue to investigate the case, the report said.
During the raids that led to the arrests, police also seized 14 vehicles and froze 20 million yuan (US$3.2 million) in assets belonging to the gang's alleged leader, Zhou Ziqi, the paper said.
Zhou, a retired soldier, and his gang killed 13 people and assaulted another 30, some of whom had their arms or legs chopped off, Hengyang police were cited as saying.
The crime spree dates back more than a decade. In 1997, Zhou forcibly took over farmland to start coal mines, the report said, adding that he never paid the farmers.
In the next three years, Zhou Yuefei, Zhou Yuepeng and Zhou Fangyi joined Zhou Ziqi, according to the report, which did not say whether the men were related. They recruited at least 100 hooligans during the next 10 years, the newspaper said.
In May 2010, more than 10 members of Zhou Ziqi's gang broke into the house of local official and assaulted three people, the report said.
In 2009, Zhou Yuefei ordered underlings to detonate a bomb near a factory, killing two people, according to the report.
A preliminary police investigation found Zhou Ziqi owns eight coal mines and seven companies, including a real estate firm and a hotel, and that he earned hundreds of millions of yuan in the last decade, the report said.
In 2000, Zhou Ziqi ordered his subordinates to kill eight people who had refused to give up their ownership stakes in a coal mine, the report said.
Zhou Ziqi also threatened Henyang government officials to vote for his right-hand men Zhou Yuefei and Zhou Yuepeng to ensure they became city legislators, police were cited as saying in the report.
The arrests were made on October 21 but not announced until recently as police continue to investigate the case, the report said.
During the raids that led to the arrests, police also seized 14 vehicles and froze 20 million yuan (US$3.2 million) in assets belonging to the gang's alleged leader, Zhou Ziqi, the paper said.
Zhou, a retired soldier, and his gang killed 13 people and assaulted another 30, some of whom had their arms or legs chopped off, Hengyang police were cited as saying.
The crime spree dates back more than a decade. In 1997, Zhou forcibly took over farmland to start coal mines, the report said, adding that he never paid the farmers.
In the next three years, Zhou Yuefei, Zhou Yuepeng and Zhou Fangyi joined Zhou Ziqi, according to the report, which did not say whether the men were related. They recruited at least 100 hooligans during the next 10 years, the newspaper said.
In May 2010, more than 10 members of Zhou Ziqi's gang broke into the house of local official and assaulted three people, the report said.
In 2009, Zhou Yuefei ordered underlings to detonate a bomb near a factory, killing two people, according to the report.
A preliminary police investigation found Zhou Ziqi owns eight coal mines and seven companies, including a real estate firm and a hotel, and that he earned hundreds of millions of yuan in the last decade, the report said.
In 2000, Zhou Ziqi ordered his subordinates to kill eight people who had refused to give up their ownership stakes in a coal mine, the report said.
Zhou Ziqi also threatened Henyang government officials to vote for his right-hand men Zhou Yuefei and Zhou Yuepeng to ensure they became city legislators, police were cited as saying in the report.
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