Asia's Underworld

Hired killers operate in organised networks in the gun-savvy capital of Philippines. As the bullets fly, gang wars rage in the streets while cops are gunned down and politicians fear for their lives. ASIA's UNDERWORLD brings you into the crossfire between professional assassins and law enforcement. But these underground networks of sharpshooters also have targets on their own backs, with police hot on their murderous trails. Hear from both sides as we unveil their long-running battle for control in the mayhem of Manila.

Perverse. Depraved. Sexual predators of children are among the most heinous criminals in the world, preying on the defenseless and innocent. Child sex offenders thrive in Southeast Asian countries, where laws are rife with loopholes and victims are most vulnerable. Cambodia’s underdeveloped social infrastructure has created an infamous breeding ground for child prostitution and sex tourism. We go deep into this vile underground industry and document real life accounts of shocking stories from victims of child sex exploitation. We follow undercover operations that have been setting up traps to catch international pedophiles in the act and throw them behind bars.

Police estimate that 1.7 million people in the Philippines are addicted to drugs. Thanks to pushers and manufacturers who continue to churn out an endless supply of these illegal poisons for profit, nearly 20 million US dollars worth of narcotics are sold every day across the country. Meet the real drug dealers and longtime addicts who are tangled in this lucrative underground trade, monitored closely by undercover agents. See why Shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), despite its menacing and destructive effects on people, remains the most popular drug of choice in Philippines.

The sex industry has been a major moneymaker for countless generations. Profiting from the trade are the pimps who earn their share illegally by enticing women into organised prostitution rings. In Mongolia, it is estimated that there is one prostitute for every 140 people. In Hong Kong, prostitution remains in the hands of the Triads. We take an exclusive peep into the underground world of illegal pimps in Asia through real life testimonies of pimps at large and behind bars. Then, we hear it straight from the Mongolian Organized Crime State Investigation Department as they shed light on hotspots and undercover operations.

Marauders of the high seas. Outlaws of the ocean. They've been called many things, but these modern-day pirates are nothing like their storybook depictions. These are Southeast Asian pirates that are not to be trifled with. From deep within the Straits of Malacca, we meet real Acehnese pirates who rob ships and boats for a living, armed with their weapons of choice. Equally fearless are the Coast Guards that patrol the high seas. We sink into the increasingly dangerous world of sea piracy with real life testimonies from victims, perpetrators and protectors.

Luring victims with grandiose promises of profitable employment, deceit and cunning are the name of the game for human traffickers. The lucrative industry of selling people like property is believed to churn out annual revenue of more than US$5 billion. The UN estimates nearly 2.5 million people from 127 countries are being trafficked around the world, forced into prostitution, begging syndicates or sold as cheap labour. We zoom in on Southeast Asian hotspots spanning Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia where illegal dealers, helpless victims and fierce authorities reveal true accounts of this intricate crime world.

High-rollers, match fixers and gangsters. Illegal gambling rings profit in the millions, taking exorbitant bets, running underground casinos, even fixing professional baseball games. Meet the addicted gamblers who will bet on anything from a pigeon race to a presidential election, and the ruthless bookies who use extortion and blackmail to ensure they get paid. As high stakes gambling cases make headlines across Taiwan, police track down the small-time gangsters, while breaking into the big-time organised gambling syndicates.

Offering easy money with a quick loan, thousands in cash, no questions asked. But when a borrower can’t keep up with the payment terms, loan sharks strike mercilessly. Among the loan sharks’ weapons: blackmail, kidnapping, extortion and violence. Charging interest that is nothing short of criminal, these illegal moneylenders are fearless of the law. The violence escalates in the high profile case of the Krystal-9 gang of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who ruthlessly chained up debtors and tortured them for months. Witness the havoc that loan sharks wreak on society with testimonies from politicians, victims, police and the loan sharks themselves.