Dar es Salaam Regional Police are continuing with investigations following a serious kidnapping incident involving foreign nationals, in which four suspects have been arrested over the alleged abduction of two Chinese businessmen in the city.
The Police Force in Dar es Salaam said it continues to discharge its core duty of preventing and combating crime, stressing that the city remains generally safe and calm despite the incident.
According to police reports, on May 14, 2026, at around 4:30 a.m., officers received information that two Chinese businessmen, Weiyi Chen, 64, and Liang Xiolo, 44, were allegedly attacked and kidnapped by a group of seven armed criminals at the PSSSF twin buildings along Mission Street in Ilala District, Dar es Salaam.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims were taken to an unknown destination immediately after the attack. Police, working together with other security and intelligence units, quickly launched an operation and managed to trace vehicles suspected to have been used in the crime.
One of the vehicles, a Toyota Alphard with registration number T.305 DRP, was discovered to be using fake number plates that did not belong to the vehicle. Another vehicle, a Toyota Harrier bearing registration number T.188 DHT, was also intercepted and seized for further investigation.
Investigators further established that the suspects allegedly issued threats to the victims’ relatives, demanding a ransom of 20 million US dollars in exchange for their release.
Following intensive search operations, police successfully rescued the two victims on May 16, 2026, in the Mbezi area in Kinondoni District.
The victims were found injured in different parts of their bodies and were immediately rushed to Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam for medical attention. Police confirmed that Weiyi Chen remains admitted at Aga Khan Hospital, where he is still receiving treatment.
Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident. The suspects are Deng Anqing (49), Fan Zhong (49), Zhang Jianjun (51), and Deng Qiang (40), all Chinese nationals.
Police said the suspects were found in possession of mobile phones belonging to the victims, along with other items believed to be key evidence in the case.
The Police Force has said investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest all individuals who participated in the crime. It emphasized that anyone involved will face the full force of the law.
Dar es Salaam Police have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and security in the city, stating that criminal acts will not be tolerated.
The Force also commended members of the public for continuing to provide timely and reliable information that has helped in preventing crime and supporting successful police operations.
