Major development for Golden Triangle cartel watchers: US has (finally) sanctioned the Laos/Chinese Zhao Wei cartel as an organised crime group. Story by @AFP here sg.news.yahoo.com/us-hits-notori…
Here’s a link to the US Treasury’s press release, detailing how US authorities accuse the Zhao Wei group of, among other things, trafficking heroin, adult and child sex slaves and endangered animals home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…
This is hugely embarrassing for Laos and a rare public allegation of how the communist nation is a weak link in the fight against organised crime. The Zhao Wei group own a massive casino — the King’s Roman — in a “special economic zone” on Laos’ border with China
Those who have been to King’s Roman, including @AFP two years ago, have found contraband — endangered aninal parts especially — openly on sale. But there’s an even grimmer side according to US authorities...
US authorities allege casino “permits and promotes human trafficking and child prostitution”. The Zhao Wei group also stores and distributes meth and heroin for Golden Triangle drug cartels including Myanmar’s narco militia the United Wa State Army, Treasury department says
Here’s another embarrassment. This time for Hong Kong. The Zhao Wei group has long portrayed itself as a legit international company and has two companies registered there: Kings Romans International (HK) Co., Limited & Kings Romans International Investment Co. Limited
Zhao Wei himself is listed as a director of both companies. He has been named on the sanctions list alongside another Chinese national, Guiqin Su, who is a joint director of KR Int. Co Ltd with Zhao
Thailand is also implicated. The Zhao Wei group has another company registered there, King Romans Company Limited. It’s board of directors include Zhao Wei himself and Nat Rungtawankhiri, a Thai national.
Let’s not forget China’s implication either. While the Zhao Wei group is primarily based in Laos territory, its leadership and core members are Chinese. The Yunnan border regions neighbouring Laos and Myanmar remain a fertile territory for organised crime
The vast majority of visitors and customers to King’s Roman and the SEZ in Laos are Chinese. So much so the clocks there run in Beijing time and the currency is the yuan
The fourth and final member of the Zhao Wei group that has been listed by the US Treasury is Abbas Eberahim, an Australian national. He is described as being a former MD of the King’s Roman Casino and is now in charge of security there
This locator gives you an idea of how ideally located the Laos SEZ is for organised crime syndicates -- bang smack in the heart of the Golden Triangle where the borders of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and S China meet. HT @jdouglasSEA 
