She Zhijiang, a Chinese national accused of building an illicit gambling empire in South East Asia, is being extradited to China - ending his years-long struggle against the order.
He has been detained in Thailand since 2022, after the Thai police arrested him acting on a Chinese request to Interpol. China accuses She Zhijiang of running illegal online gambling rings, and a Thai court recently upheld the decision to extradite him. He arrived at a Bangkok airport on Wednesday, flanked by two security officials.
His extradition comes as Thailand's king prepares for a landmark visit to Beijing, the first state visit by a reigning Thai monarch, signaling deepening diplomatic ties.
She Zhijiang is notably associated with Shwe Kokko, a city in Myanmar depicted as a resort but infamous for housing fraudulent activities and human trafficking operations. This city has attracted the attention of authorities for its role in drawing in thousands of Chinese nationals under false pretenses.
Despite his claims from prison that his company would never endorse telecom fraud, the complex environment in Shwe Kokko has been highlighted as a hub of scam operations, with accusations that it continues to harbor such illicit businesses.
With She Zhijiang's extradition, Beijing aims to tighten control over cybercrime networks that have ensnared thousands, largely underlining China's increasing measures against overseas scams.
