Travel security trends in Asia Pacific vary widely owing to the region’s vast and diverse landscape.
In the Philippines, for example, the country’s expansive gambling industry – much of it unregulated – has created a conducive environment for kidnapping gangs. In Indonesia’s Papua Province, a longstanding separatist insurgency continues to drive sporadic kidnappings and attacks against foreign nationals and operations in the region. In addition, an unstable security environment, such as that in Myanmar, Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea, will continue to drive high threats of extortion (by state and non-state actors), as well as detention and political evacuation in those countries in the coming year.
Regional Highlights
Extortion in India
Extortion remains a significant problem for businesses operating in India, particularly in New Delhi, where reported incidents have increased over the past two years. According to New Delhi police statistics, 133 cases of extortion were opened in the first eight months of 2024, compared to 141 over the same period in 2023, and 110 in 2022. Police have identified at least 11 gangs involved in extortion schemes in the city, with most led by individuals either already held in prison, or located outside the country. Additionally, India’s police force has identified a new trend in how these groups operate, whereby foreign-based criminal actors use multiple communication devices and advanced technology to carry out their threats from afar, making the perpetrators difficult to track. This trend has also been noted across the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
Criminal elements are specifically targeting the construction industry, property sector, vehicle showrooms, and small retailers. For example, in September 2024, three gunmen opened fire on a car showroom in New Delhi’s Naraina District. No one was hurt and the assailants fled the scene, but not before leaving a written note demanding approximately USD 600,000. In another similar incident in early November last year, criminals targeted a showroom in Rohini District, demanding USD 1.2 million. Six other extortion cases were also reported that week alone, targeting a jeweller, gym owner, property agent and other small businesses.
Extortion in New Delhi
- Businesses reported 160 extortion phone calls between January and October 2024.
- Some phone calls were accompanied by shootings outside homes and offices.
- Targeted businesses include: Construction, property agents, jewellers, vehicle showrooms and workshops, gyms, restaurants, and small retailers.
- Payment demands range from USD 600,000 to 1.2 million.
- Police have identified 11 gangs operating in the city; leaders of two gangs were killed in inter-gang violence, while most of the others continue to run criminal operations from prison, abroad, or other provinces within India.
Active assailant attacks in China
Indiscriminate attacks have increased across China over the past year, with several notable incidents resulting in high numbers of casualties. On 11 November, for example, an individual dissatisfied with his divorce settlement rammed his vehicle into a sports centre in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, killing 35 people. Several days later, a former student who failed his exams embarked on a stabbing rampage at a college campus in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, killing eight people and injuring 17 others. Active assailant attacks in China are motivated by a raft of social grievances, from financial and interpersonal disputes to joblessness and individual mental health issues. While the number of violent attacks remains extremely low, given the vast size of the population, they are nevertheless notable for a country otherwise known for its high levels of social stability. These kinds of attacks have prompted President Xi Jinping to urge local authorities to deploy preventative measures and resolve certain disputes before they escalate to violence.
Foreign nationals visiting China have also come under attack over the past year. In June 2024, an assailant stabbed and injured four exchange lecturers from the US in a public park in Jilin City. The attacker was reportedly a disgruntled unemployed individual who had lost his temper after one of the lecturers bumped into him. The same month an assailant stabbed and injured two Japanese nationals at a bus stop in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, and killed a Chinese national who attempted to intervene; and in September, an attacker stabbed and killed a Japanese child in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. Police stated that the two attacks were neither linked, nor connected to the victims’ nationality.
Additional active assailant attacks in China in 2024
- Zhaotong, Yunnan Province: Two killed and 21 injured in stabbing attack in hospital on 7 May.
- Guixi, Jiangxi Province: Two killed in stabbing attack at primary school on 20 May.
- Xiaogan, Hubei province: Eight killed in stabbing attack on 23 May.
- Changsha, Hunan Province: Eight killed in vehicle ramming at a market on 27 July.
- Shanghai: Three killed in stabbing in retail store on 30 September.
- Guangzhou, Guangdong Province: Three injured in stabbing outside school on 8 October.
- Beijing: Five injured in stabbing near school on 28 October.
- Changde, Hunan Province: Several injured in suspected vehicle ramming near a school on 19 November.
Extortion in Bangladesh
Since the collapse of the Awami League (AL) government in August 2024, extortion in Bangladesh has remained prevalent, but has also evolved, with criminal groups exploiting the political vacuum to expand their operations. Various sectors have been impacted, notably the transport industry, including bus terminals and logistics operations. Newly emerging groups – replacing extortion gangs linked to the AL – are targeting marketplaces, factories, and public infrastructure projects. These extortionists often use the names of influential political figures or student coordinators who played a crucial role in anti-AL protests last year to legitimise their actions, complicating law enforcement efforts.
The political transition has also led to a decline in police effectiveness. Many police stations are under-resourced, leaving businesses and citizens vulnerable, while law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed, struggling to respond effectively to the growing influence of organised crime. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has identified law and order restoration as a key priority. However, efforts are hampered by a demoralised police force, widespread public distrust, and the lingering influence of previous political alignments within law enforcement. Businesses, particularly small enterprises, face increased costs due to extortion demands, further destabilising the economy. Wealthy individuals and businesses affiliated with the former AL government have also faced extortion demands and various forms of harassment. Without comprehensive governance reforms and robust law enforcement measures, the escalating extortion crisis threatens to erode economic stability and public trust further.
