Title:
China's untouchable Hou: How 'mafia boss' keeps evading justice in Namibia
Author(s):
Publication Year:
2025
Abstract:

For over two decades, Chinese businessman Hou Xue Cheng has danced through Namibia's legal system, mysteriously dodging convictions for alleged death threats, wildlife crimes, smuggling, money laundering and corruption. Hou, also referred to as the Mafia Boss, was arrested with an accomplice on 7 January, after allegedly attempting to smuggle seal genitals from Namibia to Angola. His latest arrest was treated as routine, with no fanfare or media statement released by the authorities. But a closer look shows that Hou has been dodging prosecution in Namibia for over 20 years. The latest arrest of the alleged prolific smuggler could be yet another chapter in Hou's epic tale of being at odds with the law but never facing any accountability. Even in his native China he is wanted for ivory smuggling.

Series Title:
The Issue
Item Type:
Report
Language:
en

This article is part of the Namibian Wildlife Crime article archive. The archive aims to:

  • provide easy public access to published information and statistics
  • enable easy stakeholder access to articles
  • provide a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia

» Search the Namibian wildlife crime article archive.