Kaohsiung police last week busted a money laundering operation suspected of seeking to interfere in tomorrow’s local elections.
The operation was allegedly headed by a man surnamed Lee (李), who had received NT$9.5 billion (US$306.18 million) from China over the past six months, Kaohsiung police said yesterday, adding that Lee’s ring is suspected to be part of a larger Chinese effort to interfere in the elections and support pro-China candidates.
Officers arrested Lee, 35, and his girlfriend, searched his mansion, and seized the money he had allegedly received from China and three luxury vehicles, police said.
Photo courtesy of Kaohsiung police
The operation was disguised as an online gambling and betting site, police said, adding that they had surveilled Lee for several months after an investigation into an earlier money laundering case indicated that he is engaging in illegal activities.
Lee would be charged with contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), police said.
His communications records showed that he had contacts in China, who are suspected to be behind the fund transfers, police said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
Photo courtesy of Kaohsiung police
The purpose of the transfers remains unclear, as does the identity of those involved in China, police said.
Lee’s operation might also be connected to rings uncovered earlier this year that had allegedly received large sums of money from Chinese operatives, they said.
Earlier this month, police searched a house owned by a couple in Taichung, where they seized NT$17 billion, allegedly originating in China, and four luxury vehicles in one of the largest such raids this year.
Prosecutor Chan Chang-hui (詹常輝) said the couple’s online gaming site allegedly also offered illicit banking and foreign remittance services, which were used by illegal gambling sites in China.
They might also have had links to Chinese government agencies seeking to interfere in the local elections, Chan said.
Prosecutors are working to “combat illegal Chinese money transfers to Taiwan,” Chan said, adding that this includes “cryptocurrencies, underground remittances and gaming proceeds.”
The Chinese government and its proxies had tried to interfere in previous elections by illegally funding the campaigns of pro-China candidates, Chan said, adding that this also involved illegal transfers to money laundering rings.
China also uses these strategies to destabilize Taiwan’s financial institutions and fund organized crime operations, as it seeks to undermine public safety in the nation, Chan said.
In the past, Beijing has helped pro-China candidates pay campaign expenses, including offices, vehicles, staff, printing costs, rallies and deposits for listing as candidates, Chan said.
It also funded candidates’ illegal vote-buying attempts, Chan added.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS