No Taiwanese suspects in China-Myanmar telecom fraud arrests
中緬電信詐騙案中沒有台灣嫌犯被捕
| Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) press release says no evidence of Taiwanese involvement in case
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) on Sunday (Sept. 17) confirmed that no Taiwanese were arrested in China and Myanmar’s recent fraud crackdown, reported CNA. China and Myanmar have come together to crack down on telecom fraud in northern Myanmar, leading to the apprehension of approximately 1,207 suspects who have been sent back to China for legal proceedings. There was speculation that Taiwanese citizens were among those arrested. China Times reported on Friday (Sept. 15) that around 20% of the suspects detained were Taiwanese citizens, adding there had been no official communication from China to Taiwan regarding the matter through the established cross-strait cooperation mechanism. The report added that Taiwan has only been able to verify the information through unofficial channels. On Sunday, the CIB issued a press release that said there is no evidence of Taiwanese involvement in the case, after conducting verification through the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement between China and Taiwan. The agreement, which entered into effect in June 2009, provides for cross-strait cooperation on criminal investigations and the repatriation of convicted criminals. The CIB said that given the substantial number of people involved and the scope of the telecom fraud operations, they will closely monitor the ongoing developments. If any instances of Taiwanese citizens being victims of fraud are identified, the CIB will promptly request cooperation from the Chinese authorities to jointly investigate and apprehend the individuals. The CIB emphasized its commitment to safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the people and combating unlawful activities. It pledged to continue gathering information through various means and maintain close collaboration with Chinese law enforcement agencies. |
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| Sam Howard, Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2023-09-17 |
