U.S. blacklists Chinese crime boss

The United States on Wednesday (December 9) slapped sanctions on Wan Kuok Koi, a leader of China's 14K Triad organized crime group and a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Flora Bradley-Watson reports.

The Trump administration has used its anti-corruption powers to slap sanctions on three men that include a Chinese crime boss.

The measures announced on Wednesday targeted Wan Kuok Koi, a leader of China's 14K Triad organised crime group, as well as a top Liberian politician and a former senior KHIR-giz official.

Under the sanctions, all of their property and companies that fall under U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen.

Widely known as Broken Tooth, Wan has close ties to China's Communist Party, and is accused of using his companies to try to paper over illegal criminal activity under the guise of China's large infrastructure strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative.

Criminal allegations against Wan include drug trafficking, illegal gambling, racketeering, and human trafficking.

The U.S. Treasury also targeted three entities owned or controlled by Wan, based in Hong Kong, Cambodia and Palau.

A senior U.S. official said the measures were part of a broader campaign against corruption, which has seen sanctions imposed on more than 200 people since 2017.

Wednesday's action comes as Trump tries to apply maximum pressure on China in the last weeks of his administration.