Tim Cheung (@TimCheung)

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1188346990001952&set=ecnf.100064799856517 This came just as investigators in the neighboring #Philippines opened a separate probe into Wan and #Hongmen, in part for their connections to #AliceGuo, a disgraced Philippine mayor currently in police custody on suspicion of spying for #China and carrying out online scamming, money laundering, and other crimes at facilities in the country, said a senior Philippine official. A #Malaysian #academic who served until last year as a member of the China Overseas Friendship Association under the #CCP said #Chinese authorities tolerate Hongmen involvement in criminal activities in exchange for being able to rely on the group to carry out 'influence operations' in key countries. 'What the party wants is to unite groups like Hongmen and others in #Thailand, in #Cambodia, in #Malaysia — unite them to serve the party agenda', he said...In March 2023, #Thai police raided the Hongmen office in #Bangkok in response to public videos of Bai Zhaohui, Hongmen’s overseas president, boasting about illicit ventures in the country, and to tips that Bai was operating the Hongmen association without required permits...Two months after Thai police issued a warrant for his arrest on grounds that he was operating businesses and organizations without requisite permits, Bai surfaced in #SouthAfrica, where he registered a company called #Huichuang Group in #CapeTown, business records show. He returned to #Beijing for a conference on #Africa the following month and in 2024 appeared again in Beijing for a #gala with #CCP officials...Surachate Hakparn, a former Thai police general who led the investigation into Bai, said his officers have communicated all they know about Bai and Hongmen to Beijing. 'The Chinese authorities have a lot of information', Surachate said...The only authority able to rein in the association is the #CCP, say Thorley and other researchers. Beijing in recent years has enforced a #global crackdown on #scammers targeting Chinese #nationals, rescuing thousands of victims and hauling perpetrators back to China. The Hongmen network, however, has been left relatively untouched even as it continues to be involved in scamming operations in #SoutheastAsia that have targeted #victims from across the #world...In #Cambodia, at the same time the Chinese #Embassy has repatriated Chinese #criminals by the planeload, Hongmen has registered new businesses and opened retail storefronts, public records show. This is because Hongmen leaders, with their close ties to the #Cambodian elite, have become key figures in China’s relationship with the country...Hongmen held a glitzy opening last July for a #retail #store in Phnom Penh, which was attended by Cambodian #politicians, #generals and #celebrities, photos and videos show. Hongmen #documents and business registration records show that a Chinese national and association vice president, Cai Zhiqin, was last year named director of newly incorporated businesses in Cambodia to manufacture and distribute Hongmen-branded #merchandise...a Post #reporter visited the Hongmen store, located in a Chinese enclave dotted with #casinos and #cryptocurrency #exchanges. The store appeared to be more a projection of power than a functioning business. Inside a gleaming ##gold storefront monitored by guards, a video featuring Wan played on a loop. There were no other customers. An employee, who declined to give her name, said the store was a #hub for the Hongmen association. Members come from all over Southeast #Asia and beyond and hold meetings on the second floor, the employee said. What about all the merchandise on display? Was it for sale? The employee shook her head at the stacks of Hongmen-branded #cigarettes, #cigars, #beer, #whiskey, #tea, #water, #watches and #Tshirts. None of it was for sale. Smiling, the employee explained, 'It’s just for show'.