Five Chinese men are to appear in court tomorrow on charges related to allegations of extortion and kidnapping among Chinese nationals living in Dublin. They are to face various charges including false imprisonment, robbery, and an outstanding bench warrant. This follows the arrest today of 12 people in a flat in Temple Bar in Dublin. The remaining seven, including two women, have been released.
At around 7.30am, a large force of detectives from Pearse Street and Store Street Garda stations, along with members of the Drug, Fraud and Immigration Bureaux, raided a two-bedroom apartment on Essex Street in Temple Bar in Dublin. They were investigating complaints from two Chinese people that they had been kidnapped and beaten up and then forced to hand over sums ranging between £1,000 and £3,000 to be freed. In the apartment the Gardaí found 13 people, one of whom was himself a victim of such a kidnapping and was being held there against his will.
Gardaí are concerned about such kidnappings and attempted extortion within the Chinese community in Ireland. Ten other Chinese people have been charged and are before the courts in connection with two other cases. Detectives have been told that Chinese gang members in the city are claiming to be part of a Triad gang and are using this to intimidate their victims.
