InSight Crime has been reporting on the Chinese mafias involved in drug trafficking, prostitution, human smuggling, and express kidnappings (where the victim is taken to an ATM and released after emptying their bank account):
- Rising Dragon? The Chinese Mafia Threat in Latin America
- Argentina’s Extortion Gangs Move to ‘Virtual’ Kidnappings
- Chinese ‘Mafia’ Ring Brought Down in Argentina
- Argentina Targets ‘Chinese Mafia’ with Operation ‘Dragon’s Head’
- Argentina Arrests ‘Chinese Mafia’ Members Over Extortion
Here’s their latest report, following the arrest of Yong Ye a.k.a. A Di, boss of the largest Chinese mafia in Argentina, Pi Xiu,
Power Vacuum Leads to Fighting Among Chinese Mafias in Argentina.
InSight Crime concludes that the Chinese government’s cooperation is vital:
As InSight Crime’s past coverage has noted, language and culture are some of the most prominent barriers to investigating these mafias. With few Chinese officers in the ranks of Argentine law enforcement, the authorities’ ability to infiltrate the mafias and intercept their communications is exceedingly limited. More joint operations with Chinese authorities, such as the one that led to A Di’s arrest, will be needed to disrupt the operations of the groups that have emerged to challenge Pi Xiu’s power.
