05.12.2025 17:00
One of the most wanted figures in international drug trafficking, Tse Chi Lop, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison by a court in Australia. The 62-year-old Tse, who has been compared to Pablo Escobar and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in the global crime world, was captured in 2021 during an operation conducted by law enforcement in Amsterdam, after years of being pursued.
Justice has finally been served for Tse Chi Lop, the infamous cartel leader known as "Asia's El Chapo," who ruled the shadowy world of the Asia-Pacific for years. After months of closed hearings in Australia, the court sentenced the 62-year-old crime baron, who directed international drug trafficking, to 16 years in prison. Tse's downfall is seen as a historic blow to the region's largest methamphetamine network, which world police organizations have been tracking for years.
Following a critical tip-off to Interpol that reached Australia, Tse was accused of conspiring to smuggle large quantities of methamphetamine into the country between 2012 and 2013.
On Thursday, Tse, seen in the courtroom wearing a blue shirt and thick-framed glasses, listened to the judge's decision with his head bowed. According to the ruling, he will be eligible for parole after 10 years.
UNUSUAL AGREEMENT REDUCED SENTENCE
Judge Peter Rozen noted that the sentence given was significantly below the life sentence typically expected in such cases and explained the reason: an "unusual" extradition agreement between former Australian Attorney General Michaelia Cash and Dutch authorities. Under this agreement, Canberra had assured that Tse would not receive the maximum penalty if returned to their country.
SECRET TRIAL CONCLUDED IN 3 YEARS
The trial, conducted largely under a confidentiality order, lasted three years. With the file being made public on Thursday, it was revealed that Tse had accepted the charges in a deal with prosecutors.
LEADER OF A £13 BILLION CARTEL
Born in China, Tse was the head of the Sam Gor organization, known as "The Company," which is believed to control the methamphetamine trade in the Asia-Pacific. In 2019, Reuters described Tse as "Asia's El Chapo," reporting that the organization's annual revenue exceeded £13 billion. Information also emerged over the years that he was protected by Thai kickboxers and had spent £5.2 million in a single gambling night in Macau.
Commissioner Krissy Barrett from the Australian Federal Police stated after the ruling, "This investigation once again shows that Australian law enforcement can reach criminals no matter where they are in the world."
Tse was arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport while transferring from Taiwan to Canada in 2021 and was extradited to Australia at the end of 2022.