Local tycoon's wife, son freed by kidnappers

The wife and son of Huang Ching-fu (黃景福), director of Taiwan Pineapple Corp, were released by kidnappers Thursday night after NT$21 million in ransom was paid, police said yesterday.

Police believe the kidnapping may have been connected to Huang's failure to make loan payments on a NT$2.5 billion real estate deal.

Police said they were questioning two suspects. But they're not sure whether the case was related to last month's high-profile abduction of Taichung City Council Vice Speaker Chang Hung-nien (張宏年), who was released after his family paid NT$50 million in ransom.

According to the police, Huang's wife, surnamed Han (韓), and their 9-year-old son were abducted at about 2pm Tuesday.

Han's car was hit by a van after she picked up her son at the Taipei English School, located in the Shihlin district.

After she pulled her car over to the roadside, the two were forced into the van by three people.

The kidnappers later called Huang and asked for a ransom of NT$21 million.

His wife and son were released at around 7:20pm Thursday night after Huang met and paid the kidnappers at the Grand Hyatt in Taipei.

According to Han, they were imprisoned in a small apartment in a rural area of Taipei County. Her eyes and mouth were taped shut and she reports that she was repeatedly beaten.

Han also said there were at least eight suspects at the apartment.

Han said the kidnappers told her that they had planned to kidnap her husband, but later they changed their minds.

Police said they are unable to confirm reports that the kidnapping was carried out by Hsueh Chiu (薛球), a 35-year-old gangster from central Taiwan, who Taichung police say kidnapped the vice speaker last month.