Wanted Illegal Gambling Boss Arrested in the Philippines

Zhanhong is wanted in China over his alleged participation in illegal gambling operating out of Shandong province in the country. He was arrested on Monday by the Philippines Bureau of Immigration which was tipped by homologs in China. Zeng was apprehended on board one of Air China’s aircraft as he was leaving Ninoy Aquino International Airport and flying back to Beijing where he would most likely have faced a similar fate.

China and Philippines Coordinate to Crack Down on Illegal Gambling

Commissioner Norman Tansingco gave a quick public profile of the arrestee and said that Zeng had been put on Interpol’s, global super police, blue notice list, demanding his arrest. Tansingco noted that the arrest was carried out in strict coordination with counterparts in China, demonstrating the level of cooperation between Beijing and Manila when it comes to tackling illegal gambling.

China has been particularly keen to eradicate what it has long seen as a plague to its economy and people. Authorities in Beijing have undertaken a number of steps to limit the reach of unlicensed gambling, from cracking down on cross-border gambling, to arresting suspects, and urging citizens to snoop on each other and report offenders.

Not least, China has projected its soft power on important regional allies, and hubs of gaming operations since as Cambodia and the Philippines. While Cambodia has been the more malleable of the two, passing sweeping changes to its gambling laws to appease its most important commercial partner, the Philippines has continued to focus on regulating its existing industry better rather than pulling the plug altogether.

Meanwhile, Zeng is allegedly a part of a much bigger organization. He is supposedly involved with a criminal syndicate in Shandong and will face charges under the country’s criminal laws. Apart from cleaning small-time operators, China also conducted sweeping changes in which the country arrested Alvin Chau of Sun City and Levo Chan of Tak Chun Group, both connected to the erstwhile thriving junket businesses that channeled high-rollers into Macau and beyond.