Luque police find truck used in attempted kidnapping of Chinese businessman

Authorities in Luque, Paraguay, have located a truck believed to have been used in the attempted kidnapping of a Chinese businessman the previous night. The incident occurred around 10:50 p.m. on a street in Luque, near the international airport.

The target was identified as Eason Tay Jin, who holds a Paraguayan ID and is reportedly 39 years old, though his true identity is believed to be Jin Xiaodi, a 43-year-old Chinese national. Jin was driving a white Toyota Land Cruiser when he was ambushed by at least four armed men emerging from two other vehicles. The assailants attempted to force him into their vehicle, but Jin resisted. During the struggle, he was struck with a rifle butt, sustaining a head injury.

The assailants abandoned the vehicle they arrived in about 1,000 meters from the ambush site. They left Jin behind but took his Land Cruiser, which was later found abandoned approximately 300 meters further away. A witness assisted the injured businessman and took him to his residence. The abandoned Hyundai Tucson found by police is similar to the vehicle described by witnesses.

This incident is particularly notable as Jin Xiaodi was previously detained in Luque on April 6 by the Department of Motor Vehicle Control. At that time, he was driving the same Toyota Land Cruiser. Paraguayan authorities reported that Jin has a life sentence conviction in China for a $10 million fraud case, involving the alleged misappropriation of investor funds from a company he managed.