NANSHAN police arrested four suspects, including a man surnamed Zhou, that were allegedly linked with Sun Yee On Triad Society through a kidnapping case in February, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

The criminal ring kidnapped a Hong Kong businessman surnamed Lee and demanded a ransom of 27 million yuan (US$3.94 million). Lee was rescued in 12 hours and an investigation showed the kidnapping had been masterminded by a ringleader in a criminal syndicate called Wong’s Brothers, according to a news conference Tuesday on Shenzhen’s efforts to crack down on triad gangs.

The investigation found that the ring used a consultation company in Shenzhen as a den and developed ring members to engage in cross-border mafia-type crimes, such as kidnapping, detention, illegal business operation and forced trading.

On Feb. 12, police arrested more than 30 suspects at the consulting company controlled by the Hong Kong Wong’s Brothers and froze 78 million yuan in assets. Hong Kong police also arrested several suspects involved in the kidnapping case.

Between January and August, the number of crime reports to the city’s 110 hotline dropped by 24.4 percent year on year, showing the public safety situation is improving. (Han Ximin)