MANILA, Philippines (Reuters) — The police said on Thursday (July 20) they had arrested 43 foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals, for kidnapping a Singaporean woman at a casino resort in the capital.
Police said the gang, believed to be a loan shark syndicate, was targeting foreign high-rollers, with 11 similar cases reported since 2015 involving two groups composed of Chinese and Singaporean citizens.
The 48-year-old Singaporean woman was kidnapped at the Solaire casino on July 17 and taken to a nearby hotel where she was beaten and threatened by her captors who demanded $180,000 for her release, the Bureau of Immigration said in a separate report.
National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said the woman was rescued the next day.
Kidnapping charges were filed against two Malaysians and 41 Chinese nationals, he said.