Gangs allegedly back in Hsimenting for drug turf wars

A turf war between gangsters that sell Ecstasy may have led to a street fight among teenagers in Taipei's Hsimenting shopping area two weeks ago, according to media reports yesterday. As many as five gangs were involved.

Ecstasy, known in Taiwan as the "happy pill" (快樂丸) or "head-shake pill" (搖頭丸), has become one of the most lucrative product lines for local gangs.

Hsimenting was a bustling entertainment area and once a base for criminal gangs until the China Plaza (中華商場) on Chunghwa Road was torn down nine years ago.

Dwindling business and continuous police crackdowns had driven local gangsters to seek new markets elsewhere, especially in Taipei County.

But gangsters have been making a comeback in the area since the city government renovated Hsimenting into a pedestrian zone and built an MRT line connecting it with the city's key routes, attracting new businesses and throngs of weekend revellers.

The report says some of Taiwan's largest crime syndicates -- including the Bamboo Union (竹聯幫), Four Seas Gang (四海幫) and Tien Tao Meng (天道盟) -- have been vying for Ecstasy business in the area.

Meanwhile, several smaller gangs have also been vying for Hsimenting drug customers. Some gangs have only three or four members, while others are a dozen strong, the report said.