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Taipei (AFP) - Taiwanese police have rescued a kidnapped Hong Kong tycoon who was held hostage for more than a month and beaten up by a gang demanding a $9 million ransom, authorities said Wednesday.
Wong Yuk-kwan, chairman of the Hong Kong-listed Pearl Oriental Oil exploration company, was found manacled Tuesday in a shack in a western Taiwan village after being abducted outside Taipei on September 20, according to authorities.
Television footage of the rescue showed the 67-year-old, also known as Wong Kwan, looking thin and frightened as he sat on the floor of a bare room with his feet shackled.
His face was bruised and he was clutching his legs, which were covered in cuts.
Fifteen people were arrested over the abduction including the suspected mastermind.
In emails to Wong's office in Hong Kong the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of HK$70 million (US$9 million), to be paid in virtual currency bitcoins.
An official from New Taipei City police told AFP no ransom was paid. Taiwanese police were assisting Hong Kong officers with their investigations into the case.
Wong's company, in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange, said it was contacted by him on Wednesday.
"Wong confirmed he had been kidnapped since 20 September in Taiwan until the night of 27 October, when he was successfully rescued by Taiwan police," the statement said.
Even though he was undergoing a physical examination, the chairman was able to resume his role with the company with "immediate effect".
The businessman, who was visiting Taipei for medical treatment according to media reports, is still facing charges that were brought against him and Pearl Oriental Oil executives in 2013 by Hong Kong's anti-corruption watchdog.
He is accused along with three others of fraud and money-laundering relating to the acquisition of an oilfield in the United States.
He has been free on HK$5 million bail since then.
Two of the defendants in the case were found guilty in May and sentenced to seven years and five years in jail respectively.
Pearl Oriental Oil's main business is oil and gas exploration and the company is valued at HK$957 million. Its main asset is an oilfield in Utah and it also runs a plastic recycling business, according to its website.
Hong Kong has a long history of kidnaps targeting high-profile members of the business community.
In April a Hong Kong textiles heiress was abducted and released three days later after her family paid her captors a ransom of HK$28 million.
Nine people were arrested over the abduction after Hong Kong authorities launched a massive hunt.
Cross-strait co-op: How Hong Kong and Taiwan police joined forces to rescue wealthy businessman from kidnap gang
Law enforcers from Hong Kong and Taiwan worked together on sensitive plan to free businessman held captive by gang for 38 days
One of the two suspects in Hong Kong businessman Taiwan kidnap case brought to police station. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The release of wealthy Hong Kong businessman Wong Yuk-kwan from a 38-day kidnap ordeal in Taiwan was the result of a hush-hush police operation that pushed the boundaries of politically sensitive cross-strait diplomacy.
Sources with a knowledge of the delicate moves required to secure the release of the 68-year-old chef-turned chairman of Hong Kong-listed Pearl Oriental Oil Company told the Post that cooperation between Hong Kong's organised crime and triad bureau and Taiwan's police was instrumental in securing his safe release.
Wong was blindfolded, chained and under the guard of two kidnappers when Taiwanese police stormed a secluded house overnight on Tuesday. Detectives from both sides believe one of Taiwan's biggest organised crime groups - the United Bamboo gang - was hired by persons unknown to snatch the businessman, who is embroiled in a fraud trial in Hong Kong.
Fifteen people - all Taiwanese and including members of the United Bamboo triad gang - were picked up in a series of raids across Taiwan.
"All of them were only carrying out orders," Tsai I-hsueh, a detective from New Taipei City's Xindian district in charge of the investigation, told the Post. "We are still investigating the motive and the whereabouts of any mastermind."
The arrests came after two of the suspects came to Hong Kong in an attempt to collect the ransom money. They were identified by Hong Kong police and then tailed in a clandestine operation planned and executed between Hong Kong and Taiwan officers.
Tsai would only confirm that Taiwanese police received intelligence from their Hong Kong counterparts, but would not elaborate. It is understood that when the pair returned to Taiwan, Taiwanese police tailed them to the house, one of the sites where Wong was held captive.
One of the sources believes United Bamboo gangsters were hired to kidnap Wong. "It is possible the mastermind behind the plot has a dispute over financial problem with the victim," the source said.
Two of the 12 people kidnaped, all believed to be connected to Taiwan's United Bamboo gang. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Describing the kidnapping as "peculiar", the acting mayor of New Taipei City, Hou You-yi, said: "The method and way of the kidnapping are different from the circumstances of previous cases."
Despite the kidnappers' demand for ransom to be paid in Hong Kong on two separate occasions, Taiwanese police said no money was handed over.
Yesterday, a doctor from a Taipei hospital said of Wong's condition after his 38-day ordeal: "So far, his psychological condition is sound with clear conscious mind." Tsai, the Taiwanese detective, said Wong had no obvious injuries except his right eye was bruised and he appeared to be physically frail.
Wong was abducted into a black seven-seat car as he left his residence in Xindian on September 20. His wife then made a report to police in Taiwan who sought help from Hong Kong police.
To avoid detection, kidnappers contacted his family through emails. At least five video clips of Wong appealing to his family to raise money were sent with the emails. According to one clip obtained by Apple Daily, the appeal was dated October 22.
Wong, who was known to be a dynamic tycoon for years, looked gaunt yesterday after being freed from kidnappers. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Looking tired and appearing to have suffered facial injuries, Wong, wearing a white T-shirt, says in the clip: "My dearest daughter, it's daddy. Today is October 22, 2015, on Thursday. Please come to help mum remit the remaining amount [of ransom] tomorrow. Stay strong. Wait for my return."
As the HK$70 million ransom was ordered to be paid in Hong Kong, his wife returned to the city with Taiwanese police to make arrangements.
She was originally ordered to pay money in mid-October but abductors were told more than HK$10 million was raised and more time was needed to raise the rest of the money. His wife was then asked to pay the money through a Bitcoin account.
The source said at least two of the culprits came to Hong Kong and were identified by police when they entered and left the city repeatedly. "We don't rule out the possibility they followed the victim's wife to come to Hong Kong," he said.
No arrests have been made in Hong Kong. It is understood the unofficial joint operation is the first between Hong Kong and Taiwanese police in a decade.
Wong was supposed to have appeared in the High Court in Hong Kong yesterday for a hearing into fraud allegations. Mr. Justice Joseph Yau Chi-lap adjourned the case to December 9.
Pearl Oriental Oil said in a statement that "notwithstanding he is undergoing physical examinations, he [Wong] is able to resume his duties as the chairman and an executive director of the company with immediate effect". Shares in the company closed at HK$0.29, down 1.695 per cent from the previous day.
Wong Yuk-kwan and two of his alleged kidnappers following the arrest. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The chairman of a Hong Kong-listed oil company was rescued by police in western Taiwan last night after spending 38 days held by kidnappers, according to Taiwanese media reports.
Pearl Oriental Oil chairman Wong Yuk-kwan, 68, also known as Wong Kun, was abducted as he left his residence in Xindian district, New Taipei City late last month.
The businessman had been due to face fraud charges in Hong Kong’s High Court related to the purchase of a US$225 million oilfield in Utah, the United States, and was released on bail. He was originally due to appear back in court today.
Police arrested 12 people allegedly linked to Taiwan’s Bamboo Union triad. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Reports at the time claimed Wong had flown to Taiwan in February for a business trip, then claimed to have suffered an accident that required him to stay for treatment.
After his abduction, Wong’s office in Hong Kong received a ransom order from his kidnappers for HK$70 million, the Central News Agency reported.
Taiwanese police launched a rescue operation at a temple in Yunlin County yesterday, freeing Wong and arresting at least 12 people allegedly linked to Taiwan’s Bamboo Union triad. Wong is now receiving treatment in hospital.
Wong said he thought he could die at any time during his 38 days in captivity, according to Taiwanese media.
"Every day I felt I might not be able to see the sun the next day," Taiwanese newspaper Chinatimes quoted him as saying.
Wong believed he could have died at any moment while he was held by the alleged kidnappers. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The moment he saw police officers break open the door to rescue him last night, Wong said he felt he had "picked his life back up from hell's gate".
It was unclear if Wong’s family sent ransom money but in a video clip apparently filmed by kidnappers six days before his release, Wong asked his daughter to pay to secure his freedom.
According to footage obtained by Apple Daily the appeal was dated October 22, 2015.
Looking tired and appearing to have suffered facial injuries, Wong says:
“My dearest daughter, it’s daddy. Today is October 22, 2015 on Thursday. Please come to help mum remit the remaining amount [of ransom] tomorrow.
“Stay strong. Wait for my return.”
Wong is heard saying when they were all safe they would go to a favourite restaurant of theirs together.
The video – in which a bedraggled Wong is wearing a white t-shirt and shorts - ends: “Love you”.
Police arrested 12 people allegedly linked to Taiwan’s Bamboo Union triad in connection with the kidnapping of Wong Yuk-kwan. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The Taiwan-based United Bamboo triad gang, reportedly linked to the kidnap of Hong Kong businessman Wong Yuk-kwan, is one of the world's largest organised crime groups with its hands in all kinds of illegal activities.
The infamy of the 10,000-strong triad in drug and human trafficking is known internationally; in 2008, it was ranked by the US magazine, Foreign Policy, as one of the world's most dangerous gangs.
United Bamboo is also engaged in loan-sharking, control of prostitutes and arms trafficking.
The triad's origins go back to 1956, when it was founded by mainlanders who fled to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang government after losing the civil war in 1949.
It had close ties to the government, Hong Kong's pro-Kuomintang 14K triad and several major Japanese yakuza gangs.
The global community first took notice of United Bamboo in 1984, when it was exposed as having helped Taiwan's intelligence agency assassinate dissident Sino-American journalist Henry Liu in his garage in suburban San Francisco. The incident strained Taiwan's ties with the US.
In recent years, triad members have been active as far afield as Latin America.
According to the BBC's Chinese-language service, Panamanian authorities in February foiled a plan by the triad to set up an internet server in the country to support a scam website.
Former Bamboo Union leader Chang An-lo is better known as "White Wolf". Photo: AFP
In August 2012, some 180 gang members were arrested in the Philippines and deported to Taiwan after they were found trying to set up a base for a scam operation in that country.
Taiwan's National Security Bureau even believes United Bamboo's involvement in drugs has reached North Korea, with direct approval from the regime of the late Kim Jong-il, according to Foreign Policy.
The gang's former leader, Chang An-lo, better known as "White Wolf", is a staunch supporter of political integration between the mainland and Taiwan.
He founded a political group, the Chinese Unification Promotion Party, that launched counter-protests against student activists who occupied Taiwan's Legislative Yuan between March and April last year to oppose a contentious Beijing-Taipei trade pact.
