The Global Advisor Kidnap & extortive crime | October 2025
Asia-Pacific
India will persist as a major kidnap-for-ransom hotspot in Asia-Pacific, after the Control Risks database recorded a 70% increase during the third quarter of 2025, compared with the same period last year. The states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh – historical national hotspots – accounted for over 25% of all cases during this quarter, but incidents persisted across most states. Economic dependants were the most targeted victim profile, largely due to increased activity by low-capability criminals and small gangs looking for easy targets. Additionally, the number of cases ending the same day of the abduction increased by 144% compared with the third quarter of 2024. Despite measures taken by the authorities aimed at reducing kidnapping in the Philippines , cases increased by 166% in Q3 of 2025 compared with Q3 2024. The abduction and murder of multiple Chinese nationals during the second quarter prompted the authorities to revamp the specialised anti-kidnapping unit of the national police. However, patterns observed since the announcement suggest the measure has had limited impact, as the number of kidnap cases continues to rise. Manila remains the national hotspot, accounting for the vast majority of cases during the same period, with incidents targeting foreign nationals increasing by 300%. The reporting environment in Thailand is particularly skewed towards incidents affecting foreign nationals, while numerous incidents affecting locals often go unreported. This issue is particularly prevalent in the country’s kidnapping hotspots, such as the Greater Bangkok area and Chonburi province. Despite the decline recorded during the third quarter, kidnapping is likely to remain a threat to foreign nationals over the next year. This is due to the continued presence of
transnational criminal groups that specialise in targeting wealthy foreigners, including business travellers. These groups primarily target individuals from other countries in the region, particularly from China and are highly skilled in deception tactics, including posing as potential business partners. Cambodia has one of the lowest reported totals of kidnaps-for-ransom in the region. However, the country did see an increase in cases during the third quarter of 2025, likely driven by the growing presence of transnational criminal groups. According to the Control Risks database, all incidents occurred in the capital Phnom Penh, where kidnappers carried out targeted abductions of foreign nationals. These cases closely resemble the modus operandi of high-capability criminal groups operating in countries such as Thailand and the Philippines. In each incident, the perpetrators ambushed their victims while they were moving across the city and showed themselves to be capable of inflicting physical violence on the victims to ensure their compliance. Similar cases are highly likely to continue over the rest of the year.
69 % of abductions happened in transit/outdoors 93 % of abductions resolved in less than 8 days 17 sectors affected
Key developments July to September 2025
The previously observed downward trend in kidnaps reversed in India during the third quarter of 2025, with cases nearly doubling compared with the same period last year. The Philippines witnessed a substantial increase in kidnapping cases during the third quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, amid generalised concerns over the growing prevalence of kidnapping cases in the country. Thailand saw a 50% decline in kidnapping cases affecting foreign nationals during the third quarter of 2025 compared with the previous quarter. Criminal gangs drove a sharp uptick in cases recorded during the third quarter of 2025 in Cambodia , affecting mainly expatriates from other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
06
Copyright © Control Risks – Please refer to the disclaimer at the end of this document.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker