A 34-year-old man has been arrested in Macau on suspicion of pawning a counterfeit watch, leading to the discovery of his alleged involvement in a high-profile kidnapping, murder and dismemberment case in Thailand.
According to authorities, the incident began July 10 when the suspect, identified as Ma Qingyan, was allegedly caught pawning a counterfeit watch at a pawnshop in Macau’s Central district.
The pawnshop staff reported the incident to the police, who intercepted Ma as he tried to leave Macau for Hong Kong at the Taipa Ferry Terminal.
During the investigation, Macau police received a notification from mainland Chinese authorities that the suspect they were searching for in connection with the kidnapping, murder, and dismemberment of a mainland Chinese woman in Thailand might be hiding in Macau.
After confirming Ma’s identity, Macau police handed the case to the mainland police.
The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Yan Ruimin, a Chinese TikToker who had traveled to Bangkok from Malaysia alone.
According to Thai police, Yan was killed, and her body dismembered sometime on July 1, about 50 kilometers east of Bangkok. One of Yan’s relatives in mainland China, her brother-in-law, said he had received a ransom demand of RMB1 million.
Investigators found records of purchases made by Ma in Macau on the victim’s WeChat account, suggesting the suspect may have spent several days in the city before trying to flee to Hong Kong.
The Macau authorities have transferred Ma to the Chinese mainland for further investigation and legal proceedings. VC
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