39 Bali-based fraud suspects repatriated to Taiwan

Want China Times, CNA and Staff Reporter 2015-04-13

The 39 suspects escorted by police at Taiwan Taoyuan International
Airport, April 12. (Photo/Chen Chi-chuan)

Police have arrested 39 suspects as part of a crackdown jointly launched by authorities in Taiwan, mainland China and Indonesia on a cross-border fraud ring based on the island of Bali.

These suspects, including five Chinese nationals, were sent to Taiwan aboard two flights late Sunday, according to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Taipei City Police Department.

Police in the three countries have uncovered a ring of Taiwanese con men who allegedly pretended to be from the Chinese government and a Chinese bank and asked victims to remit money to certain bank accounts under the pretext that their credit card information was stolen and they have to transfer funds to these accounts to help with the investigation.

With the joint efforts of police in the three countries, it was found that the fraud ring was composed of 39 people and led by a man surnamed Huang in New Taipei who was born in 1990.

To avoid being found out, Huang set up computers outside of Bali and has prepared guidelines for helping ring members to practice defrauding skills.

Some of the ring members disguised themselves as employees of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Chinese public security officers, Taipei police said.

Initial investigation found that the ring was composed of 34 Taiwanese nationals and five Chinese nationals. Police have seized cellphones, notebook computers, USB flash drives and "operating guidelines" edited by Huang.