China Cracks Down on Tangshan City Gang Boss

The Chinese authorities cracked down on a gang boss in Tangshan, Henan Province yesterday. The thug and his men reportedly were using armored vehicles to extort money from people.

According to Chinese media coverage, Chinese law enforcement officials arrested 40 gangsters yesterday in the city.

The gang members had reportedly armed themselves with guns and military armored vehicles, and extorted almost $10 million from business owners and residents. The authorities impounded 4 armored vehicles, 38 rifles, 12 grenades and 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

Gang boss Yang, according to authorities, pretended to be a businessman. Last summer, Yang threatened the owner of a mining company and had the owner give his business license to him for a token sum.

Yang’s intimidation tactics earned him tens of millions of dollars in recent years. He coerced business owners into selling or merging their businesses almost for free.

The Chinese police also disclosed that Yang one day had a small argument with one of his neighbors. In retaliation, he sent his men and had them threaten the neighbor with guns.

Before the arrest, Yang drove around the downtown area in an armored vehicle to spread fear among the city residents. When checked by a police officer, he beat the officer so severely that the officer had to stay in hospital for a month, reported Chinese newspapers. But the assault and battery escapade was not a one-time “event.” He had his men beat six police officers three times each for their enforcement efforts against one of his “armored” car parades.

Yang also reportedly forced the girlfriend of his company’s director to inhale drugs and sleep with him. The police added that she had gotten pregnant.

orionha@donga.com