Six Chinese nationals facing human trafficking and cryptocurrency fraud charges in Namibia have fled the country and been traced back to China, prosecutors revealed on May 20. According to a local report, State advocate Erick Moyo told the Windhoek High Court that local authorities have engaged Interpol to help locate the six fugitives, who skipped a mandatory court appearance four weeks ago.

Moyo identified the missing defendants as Guo Linjie, Li Zirian, Shi Zijun, Chen Wuyu, Wu Nengjun, and Wu Weiyang. Two other international defendants—Zheng Haifeng of Vanuatu and Ghim Hwee Chris Ang of Singapore—also failed to appear for pretrial hearings both in April and on May 20.

In response, Judge Philanda Christiaan officially revoked bail for all eight absent defendants and ordered their combined deposits of about $29,800 (490,000 Namibian dollars) forfeited to the state. Christiaan had previously issued arrest warrants for the group on April 22.

The high-profile case involves a sophisticated pig butchering scam. According to prosecutors, the syndicate operated between December 2022 and October 2023 through a front company called Raylon Investments. The group allegedly recruited unemployed Namibians and subjected them to forced labor.

The state claims these employees were coerced into creating fake social media profiles, posing as European and American women to trick international victims into romantic relationships. Once trust was established, the victims were manipulated into sending funds to cryptocurrency accounts controlled by the syndicate. Investigators estimate the operation stole roughly $267,800 from victims globally.

Seven remaining co-defendants—including three Chinese nationals, a Cuban citizen, and three Namibians—appeared in court on the same day. The group faces 65 combined counts, including 57 counts of human trafficking, as well as racketeering, fraud, and money laundering.

The defendants present were ordered to return to court for a third pretrial hearing on July 22. All suspects in the case were originally arrested in October 2023 and had been released on bail at various points throughout 2024.

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