Tse Chi Lop, a Canadian man accused of leading a multi-billion-dollar drug syndicate, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison in Australia. This decision follows three years of closed court hearings. Tse, who previously lived in Toronto, was labeled one of the world’s most notorious drug traffickers and referred to as "Asia’s El Chapo" during a significant methamphetamine crisis in the Asia-Pacific region.

The 62-year-old was arrested in Amsterdam in 2021 while attempting to return to Canada. His extradition to Australia was contingent upon a guarantee that he would not face more than 25 years in prison. He arrived in Australia in December 2022. In a Melbourne court on Thursday, the public and media were finally allowed to attend the proceedings. It was revealed that Tse had pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic large quantities of controlled drugs.

During the court session, Tse displayed little emotion while sitting with a Cantonese interpreter under police supervision. Judge Peter Rozen characterized his operations as "pure evil." Tse had evaded capture for years, living a lavish lifestyle that included private jets, high-stakes gambling, and extensive travel. Authorities indicated that he united five triad crime groups in Asia into a single organization known as "The Company." This syndicate was referred to as Sam Gor, meaning "Brother Number Three" in Cantonese, which is one of Tse's nicknames.

Tse immigrated to Canada in 1988 at the age of 25 with his fiancée, settling in Toronto. They married a year later and had two children, a son and a daughter. Tse has previously mentioned his son's health issues in court as part of a plea for leniency. His family, including his parents and in-laws, later joined him in Canada, where they lived together.

Tse first came to the attention of law enforcement in Canada during the early 1990s, when he was implicated in a drug investigation involving Italian mafia members in Toronto who were collaborating with Chinese crime groups. Although he frequently traveled between Canada and Asia, he primarily resided abroad in recent years.

The trial in Melbourne focused on Tse's activities in Australia during 2012 and 2013. At its height, the Sam Gor syndicate was identified as the largest trafficker of methamphetamine into Australia, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Tse will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years of his sentence.

Krissy Barrett, the AFP commissioner, stated that the sentencing concluded one of the agency's most significant investigations, known as Operation Volante. "This result showcases what the AFP does best — identifying and targeting criminal syndicates that cause significant harm to our communities," she said. Barrett emphasized that the investigation was the result of 14 years of dedicated work by investigators and their international partners. Upon his release, Tse is expected to be deported, likely back to Canada.