The National Police Agency yesterday launched a 48-hour crackdown on suspected criminal organizations ahead of the expected return on Saturday of former Bamboo Union leader Chang An-le (張安樂), who fled to China almost two decades ago.
Chang, also known as the “White Wolf,” is one of the nation’s 10 most-wanted fugitives. He escaped to China just before the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office listed him as a wanted person on charges of violating the Organized Crime Prevention Act (組織犯罪防制條例) in 1996.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau said Chang is likely to fly from Shanghai and land at the Taipei International Airport (Songshan) at 2pm on Saturday.
Chang may be arrested at the airport and sent to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, which will decide whether he should be detained, the bureau said.
The Chinese Unification Promotion Party, which was founded by Chang, has applied and been granted permission to organize a rally near the airport on Saturday afternoon, the bureau said, adding that it believed the plan was related to Chang’s expected return.
Police said about 300 to 400 people are expected to welcome Chang. They may try to create a disturbance on Chang’s return, the bureau said.
The nation’s judicial authorities have for years pushed for Chang’s extradition, but Beijing has largely ignored the request, saying Chang had entered China before the Agreement on Jointly Cracking Down on Crime and Mutual Legal Assistance Across the Strait (海峽兩岸共同打擊犯罪及司法互助協議) was signed in 2009.
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