The Northern Marianas police are staying tight-lipped about the possible motives for a string of crimes involving Chinese nationals.
Haze in the Northern Marianas Photo: RNZI Mark Rabago
An investigation has been launched into the murder of a Chinese farmer who was found bludgeoned outside his house on the main island, Saipan on Saturday.
It followed three double homicides and a series of missing persons cases involving Chinese nationals in the last five years.
Our correspondent Mark Rabago said police were revealing little about the crimes but rumours had been swirling around the community for years.
"It could either be a loan that wasn't paid off, it could be involving drugs, involving Chinese triads. That's probably one of the reasons nobody wants to talk, they don't want retribution from those who perpetrated this."
Mark Rabago said no one had been charged for any of the crimes and the language barrier also made it difficult for police to get information from the Chinese community.