HONG KONG: Four youngsters have been ordered to do time in jail after being found guilty of the blackmail and unlawful confinement of a 19-year-old male.

The victim, a Chinese University of Hong Kong student, met a young woman on the Internet last October. The woman told the victim she could help him obtain a discounted ferry and hotel package to Macao.

The pair then went to Macao. The student was handed gambling chips worth HK$14,000.

After losing the chips at the gaming tables, the victim wanted to go home. He was being closely watched however by the four accused, who approached their victim saying that he owed HK$100,000.

The young victim found himself locked up at an Internet cafe and games center. He was told to call his parents to settle a debt of HK$30,000, or he would be sent to the mainland where his organs would be surgically removed.

The four accused, Fung Chi-hang, Fu Chuen-lai, Yip Hon-ming and Leung Yu-hin, pleaded guilty to five charges, including false imprisonment, blackmail and theft.

Lawyers representing the accused asked the court to send all to training centers.

Deputy district judge Johnny Chan said the sentencing should serve as a deterrent and adequately reflect community aversion for the crime.

Judge Chan sentenced Yip to 44 months in prison. Fu and Leung were sentenced to 42 months in prison.

The first accused Fung was sentenced to time in a training center because his role was not as significant as those of the other three accused.

Police said they had received 16 reports in the period between July and December last year about similar crimes. The number increased to 24 for the first half of this year.

China Daily

(HK Edition 08/04/2009 page1)