Beijing's relationship with Macau crime kingpin 'Broken Tooth' Koi is uncovered, revealing concealed connections.
In the world of organized crime, few names resonate as much as Wan Kuok Koi, also known as the "Broken Tooth" and the alleged former boss of the 14K Triads in Macau. This enigmatic figure has been under U.S. sanctions since 2020, and is connected to the senior Sam Gor drug cartel and the “Hongmen” network, which operates under Beijing’s United Front influence.
Wan's criminal empire is believed to span across continents, with operational links stretching from Canada, notably Vancouver, to Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly Panama and Mexico. His network is accused of embedding operatives in major Canadian cities, facilitating drug trafficking and foreign interference campaigns under Beijing’s influence operations.
One of Wan's key associates is Paul King Jin, who was found with a business card linking him to Wan during a Mexican airport search. Jin, an important figure connected to the Sam Gor syndicate operating transnationally and linked to Chinese Communist Party influence, travels frequently to Latin America and the Caribbean. His operations involve narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and commodity smuggling, facilitated by connections to Mexico and Panama.
Despite multiple criminal charges and investigations, Jin has never been convicted for money laundering or drug trafficking, raising questions about the effectiveness of Canadian legal and enforcement frameworks in dealing with transnational organized crime figures. The criminal network, including Wan Kuok Koi’s faction, is also reported to control significant unaccountable real estate assets in Vancouver, implicating a parallel legal influence possibly connected to Beijing’s United Front.
The political controversy surrounding these activities reached a peak when Paul King Jin was photographed in a private meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a sensitive investigation period, raising questions about political entanglement with these criminal actors.
Wan himself has been implicated in global criminal activities, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and extensive real estate schemes. He was arrested in May 1998, shortly before the opening night of a movie he had financed about himself, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 1999 on charges including illegal gambling, loansharking, criminal association, and attempting to car-bomb a local police chief.
However, since his release from prison in 2012, Wan has reinvented himself as a global operator. He is currently the leader of the World Hongmen History and Culture Association, which promotes Chinese culture abroad but is accused by the U.S. government of being a front for organized crime. The meeting in Cambodia, which focused on the security of overseas Chinese nationals, has added fuel to this controversy.
The U.S. sanctions against Wan and the Hongmen association clash with Beijing's denials of any connections to Wan. This tension highlights the complex web of politics, crime, and international relations that Wan Kuok Koi and his network navigate.
The story of Wan Kuok Koi is deeply intertwined with the history of Macau. Portugal handed control of Macau back to China in December 1999, ending more than a century of colonial rule. Under Beijing's oversight, Macau liberalized its casino industry and became the wealthiest gaming market in the world. Wan's imprisonment symbolized the end of triad dominance in Macau. Yet, his release marked a new chapter, as he reemerged as a global figure in the world of organized crime.
[1] "Wan Kuok Koi: The Broken Tooth and the Transnational Criminal Network," International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, August 2025. [2] "The Rise and Fall of Wan Kuok Koi," South China Morning Post, May 1998. [3] "The Sam Gor Syndicate: A Transnational Criminal Network," Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, January 2020. [4] "China's United Front: A New Threat to Global Security," U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, December 2019.
- The World Hongmen History and Culture Association, led by Wan Kuok Koi, is accused by the U.S. government of being a front for organized crime, despite its claims to promote Chinese culture abroad.
- Wan Kuok Koi, the alleged former boss of the 14K Triads, is connected to the Hongmen network, which operates under Beijing's United Front influence and is allegedly involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and foreign interference campaigns.
- Despite multiple criminal charges and investigations, Paul King Jin, an associate of Wan Kuok Koi, has never been convicted for money laundering or drug trafficking, raising questions about the effectiveness of Canadian legal and enforcement frameworks.
- The controversial meeting of Paul King Jin with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a sensitive investigation period has added fuel to the political controversy surrounding Wan Kuok Koi and his network's activities.
