PAIR HELP DETECTIVES HUNTING FOR VICTIM'S BODY
AND 5TH SUSPECT BELIEVED IN CHINA

The leader of several marijuana grow operations in the city's east end
has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a "business" rival
whose body has never been found.

Wing Ching Chan, 49, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of
Pei Ding Xu, as well as aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm
with the intent to wound and two counts each of kidnapping and
forcible confinement. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison last Thursday.

Earlier last week Chan's associate, Bo "Jessica" Ding, 24, also cut a
deal and pleaded guilty, at Scarborough Court, to two lesser charges
of forcible confinement. She was sentenced to 15 months in jail.

"They have been assisting with the investigation," said homicide Det.
Stacy Gallant. "Both have provided statements."

Since their co-operation, police have gained "some direction" on the
location of the body but need more specific information. Four alleged
former employees are still facing first-degree murder charges.

The homicide squad now plans to seek a first-degree murder warrant for
a fifth person, said Gallant, adding he believes Chu's wife, QiQi
"Angela" Song, has fled to China and will seek the help of Chinese
authorities.

The case began as a suspected kidnapping until police learned of a
heated dispute between two organized-crime groups over profits
relating to marijuana grow houses.

Court was told a rivalry existed between Chan and the 30-year-old
victim, who worked with a man who had once robbed one of Chan's grow
houses.

On Jan. 24, 2005, Chan and others were on their way to a grow
operation because an alarm was sounding. En route they saw Xu and
another man, and believing they were implicated, forcibly took them to
a house, where they were beaten and questioned for several hours.

"When they didn't give the answers their attackers wanted, the
beatings continued," Crown Attorney Julie Battersby told the court.

"Xu wanted to go to hospital ... Ding was told to take (him) to the
hospital but she was too scared to do so. Before long ... Xu had
died," the facts state.

The next day, suspicious activity at a different grow house led to a
shootout on Wintermute Blvd. involving Chan's group and Xu's group.

Xu's friend later escaped from the house and reported the kidnapping
to police.

The case, Gallant said, exemplifies the dangers of running a grow
operation.

"This was all about a lucrative business where operators were ripping
each other off," he said. "The dangers go beyond health and fire
risks. People say marijuana doesn't kill. Well, it does."