More than 200 heavily armed police yesterday escorted high-profile criminal suspect Chang Hsi-ming (張錫銘) and Chang's bodyguard, Lin Tai-heng (林泰亨), from their hospitals to a hospital in Chiayi County, police said.
"Prosecutors and senior police officials supervised the relocation of Chang and Lin. Special forces personnel were also in the two ambulances that transported Chang and Lin," Criminal Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner Lin Teh-hua (林德華) said yesterday.
"Chang and his fellow gangsters are suspected of executing several kidnappings. But the evidence shows that there were other gangsters involved in these kidnappings behind the scenes," Lin said. "They offered weapons and information to Chang, and suggested he kidnap certain wealthy individuals."
"To prevent a possible abduction or assassination attempt, more than 200 police personnel were deployed at the hospitals and along the highways and other roads that the ambulances used," he added.
Chang and Lin, whose gang specialized in kidnapping for ransom, were relocated to Chiayi Christian Hospital. Police said that because the pair were recovering well, prosecutors based in Tainan and Chiayi counties had decided to move them to the new location.
Chang is suspected of committing several crimes in Chiayi County and hiding out there for a long period. He and Lin's relocation to the area would be beneficial for the investigation, police said.
But police said that Chang and Lin would be in separate intensive-care units in the hospital.
Chang was arrested and injured after a shootout with police in Taichung County's Shalu Township (沙鹿) on Wednesday last week. Lin Tai-heng was also detained after the gunbattle.
Chang was sent to Tungs' General Hospital in Shalu to receive medical treatment, while Lin was sent to Kuang Tien General Hospital, also in Shalu.
Police have not questioned Chang and Lin in the investigation yet because of the seriousness of their injuries.
Staff at Tungs' General Hospital and Kuang Tien General Hospital yesterday welcomed the departure of their infamous patients.
One doctor at Tungs' General Hospital told reporters that staff at the hospital were under a lot of pressure because Chang was there.
Police have arrested 13 people suspected of helping Chang avoid arrest prior to the shootout last week.
A number of gangsters connected to Chang through an e-mail list and addresses in his computer were also identified, but some of these may have escaped to China, police added.
Chang and the gangsters commenced kidnapping in 1995. Police say that Chang and his gang members were involved in at least 10 cases of abduction.
Two recent cases made Chang a priority case for the police, however. Chang's gang allegedly kidnapped the son of Hohsin Bus Company boss Yang Chin-yuan (楊錦元) in July last year, holding him for NT$36 million (US$1.13 million). The gang later allegedly kidnapped Taichung businessman Yu Kuo-chu (于國柱) and demanded a NT$500 million ransom in March.
Yu was released after his family paid the ransom.
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