A 37-year-old woman endured a terrifying kidnapping in Sydney’s north-west as criminals sought codes to illegal tobacco storage sheds. The ordeal highlights the escalating violence in Australia’s black market tobacco trade.
The Setup and Abduction
Two years ago, the woman, who migrated from China in 2018 and relied on selling illicit cigarettes for income, arrived at a house in Epping to complete a $3,000 tobacco sale. Moments after meeting her customer, men from a nearby Toyota Camry assaulted her, blindfolded her, and forced her into the vehicle.
A friend witnessed the abduction and alerted police, sparking an immediate investigation. The kidnappers drove the woman to a rented house in Eastwood, where they bound her hands, covered her eyes and mouth, and placed her on a bed.
Desperate Texts and Threats
One of the ringleaders, Yanyu Mu, coordinated via WeChat from a parked Lexus. He urged his accomplices: “Get this done ASAP. Need to finish really fast, otherwise things may go wrong.” He added, “[If] people find the plate, find the car … everything will just blow up.”
The men demanded $300,000 or the storage codes for sheds in Belfield, suspected of holding smuggled tobacco imported via WeChat. When she refused, they threatened beatings and discussed injecting her with butanediol, a drug known to slow the nervous system and linked to criminal activities.
The Assault and Drugging
Mu encouraged the injection via messages, asking if she was “getting high after the injection” and to “hit her if it doesn’t work.” One man held a pillow over her face while another restrained her legs. They injected the substance into her elbow and hand.
The woman felt “a rush of heat all over her body before she started to lose consciousness.” While unconscious, attackers struck her head repeatedly. Upon waking, she offered $200,000 instead of the codes but eventually relented, providing the access details to Mu and another man.
Failed Heist and Escape
At 3:30 a.m., Mu and his accomplice tried the code five times at the Belfield facility, but entry hours restricted access until 5 a.m. Meanwhile, the woman promised payment for her release. A co-offender untied her, drove her to a friend’s house, and accepted $6,000 saved for rent.
Left bruised and injured, the woman sought hospital treatment. Mu and an associate fled to Victoria but were tracked via seized phones. NSW Police collaborated with Victorian authorities for arrests and extradition.
Sentencing and Broader Implications
Mu, 31, from Victoria, pleaded guilty to kidnapping in company to gain advantage and inflict bodily harm, plus using an intoxicating substance for an indictable offense. The District Court sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years and eight months. Backdated for time served, he becomes eligible for parole in February 2029.
Prosecutors could not prove Mu entered the room during her detention or assisted directly with the injection, but texts showed his encouragement. Other co-offenders face ongoing court proceedings.
This case underscores Sydney’s vulnerability to the nationwide illegal tobacco violence, typically concentrated in Melbourne, revealing a lucrative underground market prone to extreme tactics.
