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Gangster dies in car accident in China

A notorious convicted murderer and wanted gangster died in an automobile accident in Xiamen on Tuesday after a high-speed car chase with Chinese police, according to Taiwan officials.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau said yesterday that it was "very likely" that Nien Chung-jen (粘仲仁), the former vice council speaker of Changhua County, died in the accident.

At the time of the incident, Nien was reportedly involved in a high-speed car chase with police, who had suspected him of blackmail.

But the bureau said yesterday that it still had to confirm the accuracy of the information.

According to reports, the car crash took place at roughly 2am on Tuesday.

Unconfirmed reports supplied to the investigation bureau say that two men fired at least two gun shots from a car at a KTV after failing to extort money from the establishment.

Chinese police pursued the car, and in the ensuing chase the suspects' automobile collided with a traffic island, killing one occupant and seriously injuring the other.

The dead man was reported to be Nien, while the injured man was reported to be a man from Sichuan Province.

The investigation bureau is seeking confirmation of the report and the identity of the deceased suspect with Chinese police through the Straits Exchange Foundation. Last night, the foundation said that Nien's death had not been confirmed.

According to police, Han Yu-hui (韓幼慧), Nien's wife and a Changhua County councilor, was also in Xiamen when the incident took place. Han was prevented by Chinese police from reaching the scene of the accident and seeing the victims, according to Changhua County police.

Police said they have been in constant contact with Han, but as of yesterday evening they had not been informed of any further developments.

Earlier media reports -- believed to have been based on information from Nien's family -- said that Nien had been shot to death in the incident.

Nien, 45, a Changhua gangster, was elected county councilor in 1990 and became vice speaker four years later. His primary business was gravel excavation in Changhua.

In September 1996, Nien was arrested in the Chihping Anti-Gangster Program (治平專案) and was held in detention on Green Island.

He was later sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Taitung District Court for crimes including the shooting to death of an excavator driver and intimidating rivals in the gravel excavation business.

After appealing to the High Court in December 1997, Nien was released on NT$2 million bail so he could receive medical treatment for a number of complaints. The release sparked public outrage.

Though Nien appeared thin and weak at the time his bail was granted, he recovered quickly and disappeared after helping his wife win a county council post in early 1998.

According to police, there have been sightings of Nien by Taiwanese businessmen in China since mid-1998. Police sources said that Nien continued to operate as a gangster in Xiamen in collaboration with local gangsters and corrupt Chinese officials.

Police believe that he smuggled himself in and out of China and Taiwan several times.
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