Murder hunt police raid house

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Detectives executed a search warrant at a house on Croydon Road in connection with the killing in Newcastle's West End.

The mutilated bodies of Zhen Xing Yang and his girlfriend Xi Zhou, both 25, were found in separate rooms of the ground floor flat on Croydon Road on August 9.

Police believe Mr Yang, known as Kevin, was tortured for up to an hour before he was hacked and stabbed to death by his killers, who then turned on Wagamamas noodle bar waitress Xi Zhou. The couple's cat was drowned by their killers.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "Officers from Northumbria Police major investigation team this morning executed a search warrant at 63 Croydon Road in connection with the murder investigation at 8 Croydon Road.

"No arrests were made. A number of occupants are being interviewed as potential witnesses to the enquiry."

Last week, police issued an appeal for three potential witnesses spotted outside the victims' flat less than an hour after the last time Xi Zhou was seen alive.

Internet users on UK-based Mandarin websites had identified Mr Yang as a recruitment agent for a gambling racket which relied on the results of live Premier League football games being shown a couple of minutes later in China to beat the bookies.

Police became aware of Zhen Xing Yang's links to alleged passport forgery, fake visa and qualification documentation, and an internet football betting scam early in their investigation into his murder.

Detectives have been following the rumours and threats posted on internet sites from people said to have been employed by Mr Yang to help fix the outcome of betting on the results of games in the Premiership and other countries, shown in China.