A SENIOR member of the mafia ring led by Chen Yaodong, dubbed Brother Dragon, had been put on the Class-A wanted list by police, a source close to the case said.

    The Daily Sunshine quoted the source, only identified by his surname Chen, as saying that the member, only known by his surname Wang, got in a gun fight with border police while trafficking methamphetamine. Five policemen were killed and two were injured, according to Chen.

    Wang had since been put on the Class-A wanted list. He was caught by Shenzhen police last year when gambling at a hideout of the mafia ring dubbed “royal palace.” Police found 30 million yuan (US$4.62 million) and a gun on him, the Daily Sunshine quoted another source as saying.

    Wang later told police about the mafia ring and Brother Dragon, according to the source.

    Police did not confirm the information, saying the mafia ring case was still under investigation.

    The paper also cited an anonymous source as saying that the mafia ring became active in Shajing, Bao’an in 1993. They even attacked policemen, said the source.

    Chen also said Dragon Brother was connected with overseas mafia rings. Brother Dragon loved gambling and drinking and could buy his way out of many problems. “Village officials had to listen to him,” said Chen.

    Brother Dragon was involved in many housing projects in Shajing, including the construction of illegal buildings, said the paper.

    Many complaints have been filed to the Shajing Subdistrict government and the Party chief of Shajing Subdistrict, but to no avail.

    Liu Shaoxiong, former Party chief of Shajing Subdistrict, is allegedly connected with the mafia ring and under investigation for serious violations of discipline.

    Liu assigned key posts of the Shajing Subdistrict Office to his followers, including Chen Junwei, a land and urban construction official of Shajing government, who obtained many projects for Brother Dragon, said the paper.

    (Helen Deng)