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Crime

21st Feb 2022

Man used as a blood slave for six months after being kidnapped by a gang

Kieran Galpin

As a blood slave, he routinely had 27oz of blood taken from him

After being snatched by a Cambodian gang, a man was kept as a “blood slave” for six months and sold between various criminal organisations.

From Jiangsu province, China, a 31-year-old man identified only by his surname Li attended a job interview for a nightclub bouncer in China’s southwestern region of Guangxi last August. However after he refused to join their online fraud operation, they kidnapped him, according to reports from Beijing Youth Daily.

Li

Li was then taken to the China-Vietnam border, where he was forced to cross at gunpoint before journeying on to Ho Chi Minh city and later, Cambodia. The former security guard was sold once more in Cambodia, with his former captors earning $18,500 (£13.6k) from his sale.

Li told local news that they had initially intended to hold him hostage to collect a ransom. However, upon finding out Li is an orphan, they instead chose to harvest his blood. While the UK recommended donation amount is 16oz (470ml), Li was forced to give 27oz (800ml) on a regular basis.

South China Morning Post

His blood was consequently sold on the black market, with a doctor having allegedly said, “Your type O blood is quite valuable!”

The man was not alone in his servitude and told reporters that at least seven other prisoners were being held at the time. After months of routine blood draining and beatings with electric prods, the gang struggled to get more blood from his veins and instead, a “nurse” had to get blood from Li’s head.

A gang member is thought to have helped Li escape and he was then admitted to the hospital on February 12. Doctors revealed that Li was close to death and suffering near organ failure.

Li is now recovering in hospital.

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