Chinese Man Mails Gold in Chili Sauce Jar in Investment Scam

A man in northern China attempted to mail two gold bars hidden inside a jar of chili sauce to fund a stock trading scam, police report. The unusual case has drawn widespread attention online. The incident occurred in Tianjin's Jinnan District. Police intervened after receiving an anti-fraud alert concerning an elderly man, surnamed Zhao. Officer Li Ruifang from the Shuanglin Police Station discovered Zhao was communicating with a suspected fraudster. The scammer had convinced Zhao to invest in stocks. To finance this, Zhao purchased gold bars. He then concealed them in a jar of chili sauce and mailed the package to another province for his "friend" to sell. Police successfully intercepted the parcel. They opened it to find the two gold bars buried within the sauce. Authorities have not detailed the total value of the gold or identified the recipient. The case highlights ongoing efforts to combat fraud targeting elderly citizens in China.