Tainan police yesterday announced they had uncovered a telecom fraud ring that had earned millions and arrested three suspects during a recent raid.
Tsai Ching-yuan (蔡慶源), deputy leader of criminal investigation section at the Tainan Fifth Police Precinct, identified the suspects as a 32-year-old man surnamed Tseng (曾), a 19-year-old man surnamed Lee (李) and a 21-year-old woman surnamed Hsieh (謝).
“The three were questioned by prosecutors, and a local court yesterday approved their detention. We believe Tseng headed the operation, but we are continuing to look for other suspects,” Tsai said.
Hsieh had allegedly admitted to working as a money collector and receiving instructions from Tseng, investigators said.
According to the investigators, Hsieh said she had collected more than NT$8 million (US$270,975.2) from automated teller machines (ATMs) in different cities over a two-week period last month, including Taoyuan, Miaoli, Taichung, Yunlin and Tainan.
Hsieh said she was paid a 2 percent commission of NT$160,000, police said.
Tsai said ATM video footage had helped investigators zero in on Hsieh, but they had difficulty tracking her movements as she visited the ATMs on foot, so there were no car or motorcycle license plate numbers to help trace her.
Hsieh, who weighs more than 100kg, told police that she would travel to the various cities by bus or train and then would walk from the bus or train station to an ATM specified by Tseng for exercise to help her lose weight, investigators said.
“Although I have lost 2 kilograms over the past month, I am regretful and will not engage in such illegal activities again,” police quoted Hsieh as saying.
They said she told them she knew she could face jail and have to pay compensation to the ring’s victims if convicted of fraud.
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