Angola deports China 'gangsters'

More China stories Angola has extradited 37
Chinese nationals, accused of
extortion, kidnappings,
armed robberies and running
prostitution rings. They allegedly targeted other
Chinese, kidnapping
businessmen for ransom and
sometimes burying victims
alive. They lured women to Angola,
promising well-paid jobs, but
then forced them into
prostitution, Chinese police
said. Tens of thousands of Chinese
live in Angola, and Chinese
state-run firms have large
interests in the country. China's Ministry of Public
Security said a special police
team was sent to Angola in
July to help investigate
criminal gangs. The ministry said the officers
had helped their Angolan
counterparts break up 12
gangs and free 14 victims,
most of whom were thought to
be women forced to work as prostitutes. The 37 suspects arrived at
Beijing airport in handcuffs
with balaclavas covering their
faces. They are due to be tried
in China. Mineral-rich Angola is China's
biggest trading partner in
Africa, with some $24.8bn
(£15.7bn) in 2010. Commercial opportunities have
attracted private businesses
and state-run firms. But according to Chinese
media, crime had begun to
seriously affect operations in
the country. China Police, a website run by
the ministry, published an
article documenting 14
kidnappings during 2011 in
which five victims were killed. The article said Chinese
business owners had moved
away from the capital Luanda,
while others had hired private
security guards and bought
bullet-proof cars.