Detention hearing told of gang links to Chinese fugitive

Detention hearing told of gang links to Chinese fugitive
Byron Chu, QMI Agency


VANCOUVER - China’s most wanted man will remain in custody for at least another day as a surprise witness at his detention hearing painted Lai Changxing as a flight risk ahead of what may be his final appeal on Thursday of a deportation order.

Chinese officials have sought Lai’s return for nearly 12 years, alleging he masterminded a smuggling operation in Fujian province, moving more than $8 billion of everything from oils and cars to cigarettes while evading more than $4 billion in taxes. He has been in Canada fighting deportation on the grounds he would be executed. Canadian officials have since received assurances that he will not face the death penalty.

Testifying as a witness for Canada Border Services Agency, Det. James Fisher, a Vancouver police officer with 23 years experience investigating Asian organized crime, said a credible police source told him Lai ran an illegal gambling operation in a house in Richmond, B.C., in 2009.

The source said the house had computer terminals that allowed clients to play baccarat live with a casino in Macau. Lai facilitated the transfer of money, and also arranged credit from loan sharks for clients who were short of cash. Among the visitors to the house were Tang Yu Rang and Feng Gou Fu, alleged members of the Big Circle Boys, a well-known Asian gang.

Fisher described Lai as a gang associate and agreed Lai’s gang links give him means to flee Canada if he is freed prior to a final decision on his deportation. Fisher said in his investigations of Asian gangs, he found many “provided false passports and other documents for a fee.”

Lai’s lawyer, Darryl Larson, was then granted an adjournment of the trial. He said he was surprised by the allegations and he needed time to discuss them with his client.

“I think it just shows the desperation of the CBSA to say anything they can to keep Mr. Lai in detention,” said Larson. “I want to talk to Mr. Lai about these allegations from an unnamed, long term criminal who apparently isn’t reliable to testify.”