Despite his extensive involvement in the illegal drug trade and a previous conviction, his criminal activities were unknown to the public until uncovered by a Reuters report in 2019.
[5] Known to be intelligent, humble and diplomatic, Tse's behind-the-scene innovation reshaped drug smuggling in the Asia-Pacific as he quietly accumulated tremendous wealth in the process.
Sam Gor is believed to be responsible for the dramatic shift in recent years away from opium-based drugs such as heroin and towards synthetics such as methamphetamine, ketamine and fentanyl in the Asia-Pacific, and has been implicated in large shipments to Australia by law enforcement.
In contrast to other well-known drug cartel leaders, Tse kept a low profile despite living a rich lifestyle and was virtually unknown even to law enforcements.
After spending time in Taiwan under official surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic-related border lockdowns, Tse was finally arrested by Dutch National Police in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on 22 January 2021 while on a layover to re-enter Canada.
[10] In Tse's 1998 statement given after his arrest, he claimed that his parents, as well as his in-laws, all moved to Canada after his immigration to be under his care due to their sickness, and that he had two children, one of whom was born with breathing problems.
[9] The venture became successful as the Big Circle Gang dominated the heroin market in Toronto and slashed prices by over 40 percent in just two years while the Mafia expanded their distribution to as far south as Florida.
[10] Investigators described Tse as a person eager to embrace innovation and take risks, and his Toronto experience sharpened his diplomatic ability to "bridge [different] groups," a skill he would later rely on in building his criminal empire.
[2] While in custody, Tse was described to be highly intelligent, with a "calm, friendly and strategically tight-lipped" demeanor, a "down-to-earth" personality, and a "legit" and gentleman-like presence, according to the FBI agent and prosecutor in charge of his case.
[2] Incidentally, Lee would be later extradited to Australia in 2022 like Tse after his arrest in Thailand, owing to his involvements in Sam Gor's drug trafficking operations.
[12] After his return to Canada, Tse shifted his interest to synthetic drug trade in the Asia-Pacific region, as the demand of heroin has reduced and his existing Mafia-based North American distribution network has collapsed.
[10] Synthetic drugs like methamphetamine has a larger profit margin, a simpler distribution network with less law enforcement presence, and an equally-steady supply from the Golden Triangle where he retained contacts.
[13] In Sam Gor's early years, Tse pioneered a "guaranteed delivery" system by which his organization would replace any seized drugs free of charge.
"[3] An official from the UNODC said that Tse's achievement and wealth potentially rivaled those of well-known drug lords, including Pablo Escobar or Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
[10][16] Despite his low profile, Tse was sued in 2017 by Singapore-based Marina Bay Sands casino in a Hong Kong court as he was claimed to have owned SG$1.9-million in gambling debts.
That year, the Australian Federal Police learned of a Hong Kong-based man named "Sam Gor" through wiretaps on a Melbourne-based greengrocer and drug distributor, Suky Lieu.
[3] Three years later, in 2016, a mid-level Taiwanese Bamboo Union member named Cai Jeng Ze was arrested in Yangon International Airport in Myanmar for carrying Ketamine.
Burmese law enforcement agencies seized Cai's personal phone and found detailed documentation of Sam Gor's operations.
The multi-national cooperation that followed has resulted in the dismantling of Sam Gor's operations in Myanmar's Shan State and sea-based drug smuggling routes to Australia.
The bureau determined that there was insufficient ground for his arrest, as Taiwan has no extradition treaty with Australia and he has not committed any offence during his period of stay in the country.
[19] The arrest was the culmination of Operation Kungur, led by the AFP with cooperation between Dutch and Taiwanese police, and supported by roughly twenty law enforcement agencies in Canada, China, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and the US (including the DEA).
[3] A high-ranking UNODC official said that Tse's arrest would change little as Sam Gor remains active, and that others can easily step in to replace him, due to the fact that the condition that facilitated drug smuggling has not been effectively addressed.