Report on the shadowy realm of the Chinese triads

Forced labor, human trafficking and secret organized crime – journalist Jenke von Wilmsdorff travels to the Golden Triangle for his new “Jenke. Crime.” report.

Yu Tang Wang simply wanted a better job. The young Taiwanese woman accepted a job offer at a casino in Cambodia – and landed straight in a nightmare.

Not employment, but slavery – not an isolated case.

Barely arrived, her passport was confiscated. What followed was not employment, but slavery: In a so-called scam center, she was forced to defraud other people online every day.

“There are special rooms where those who don’t work well enough are taken. There they are beaten with electric shockers and batons,” Wang told the press. Journalists Jenke von Wilmsdorff.

Her case is not an isolated incident – ​​it is part of a global system controlled by the Chinese triads.

In his latest “Jenke. Crime.” report, von Wilmsdorff delves deep into a world that is rarely reported on.

Jenke von Wilmsdorff in the shadow realm of the Triads

His research took him to Thailand, Taiwan and the so-called Golden Triangle – a border region between Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, which is officially considered a special economic zone.

Investigators and experts see it as a hub for drug production, online fraud, human trafficking and money laundering.

“What surprised me most was how little is known about the Chinese triads and the Asian mafia in general,” says von Wilmsdorff.

And further: “You hear and read so little about it that you might think there is no serious Asian organized crime. But that is a very dangerous misconception.”

Invisible and powerful – triads as a global network

Unlike the Italian Mafia, which is present in the public eye through films and series, the Chinese triads deliberately operate in secret.

No public appearances and no media-effective threats – instead, quiet control over economic and political structures worldwide.

“Staying under the radar is rule number one. It’s deeply ingrained in their Asian culture,” explains von Wilmsdorff. The triad network extends far beyond Asia – including to Germany.

Particularly explosive: Investigations suggest that the triads may enjoy political backing. Some journalists even claim that they occasionally act on the direct orders of the Chinese government.

"Jenke. Crime. In the shadow realm of the Chinese Triads"

Reliable evidence is hard to obtain – which makes the number of unreported cases and the apparent untouchability of the network even greater.

The documentary “Jenke. Crime. In the shadow realm of the Chinese Triads” will be shown on ProSieben on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 20:15 pm and will also be available to stream on Joyn.

The show was produced by Film Five.

Human trafficking and forced labor are criminal offenses. Anyone with information about such cases can contact the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) or the police.

Sierks Media / © Photo: Joyn, ProSieben