Man surrenders after cross-border ordeal

The many issues around cross-border crime such as human trafficking, telecom fraud and money laundering, have been highlighted in a recent report by Legal Daily.

On May 28, a man named Li Liang, handed himself over to customs officials at the China-Myanmar border, after finding himself tricked, entrapped and caught up in a host of illegal activities before finally finding his way from the hold of his captors.

The ordeal stems back to 2018, when Li was running a failing sports goods store in Anhui province and found himself in financial trouble due to a bad loan.

Through a friend, he met a wealthy individual named Xiao who promised to rid him of his financial burdens and said he could become prosperous across the border in Myanmar. Despite being warned by others about the dangers, Li proceeded.

Li later met Xiao in Yunnan province, and Xiao smuggled him across the border into Myanmar.

Soon after making the crossing, Li found himself in a casino with Xiao where he was quickly tricked into believing he was responsible for Xiao's alleged gambling debts.

Li was detained by the casino and forced to work to pay off the supposed debts.

Two years later and still "working" for the casino in 2020, Li met a man named Ah Jian who got him involved with fraudulent activities such as illegally obtaining bank account details and using them for money laundering.

Li's involvement in the activities escalated, and he began arranging for bank accounts in China to be used for money laundering. He earned commissions by laundering large sums of money through these accounts.

His involvement in crime led to violence and threats from his associates, who forced him to continue his criminal activities if he wanted to survive.

This year Li was able to make a break and head back to China to turn himself in for the crimes he had committed.

After contacting his family, he learned that his wife and friends were being investigated by police for their involvement in his money laundering.

Li contacted the officer involved who guided him through the legal implications of his actions and encouraged him to surrender.

After careful consideration, Li surrendered to Chinese customs authorities on May 28, hoping to put an end to his criminal past and the consequences for him and his loved ones.

Cases similar to Li's are not few in number, with many Chinese citizens illegally crossing the border into Myanmar in search of a fortune, but who instead find themselves trapped and forced into criminal activity.

Chinese authorities are stepping up efforts to crack down on cross-border crime, and have arrested a number of suspects in recent months.