Police said yesterday that Chinese nationals and Taiwanese gangsters were involved in the crimes that Chang Hsi-ming (
"Chang and his gangsters committed several kidnappings. Evidence showed there were gangsters involved in those kidnappings behind the scenes. They offered weapons and information to Chang, and suggested that he kidnap certain wealthy individuals," said Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) Commissioner Hou You-yi (
"These gangsters included local Taiwanese and Chinese nationals living in China. Police will do their best to bust the whole criminal ring," Hou added.
PHOTO: CHANG HSIEH-SHENG, TAIPEI TIMES
Hou said he hoped that both sides of the Strait would cooperate to break up Chang's criminal ring.
Police said they have identified a number of people connected to Chang through his email list and addresses in his computer, including a well-known person living in Tainan County, whom police refused to identify. Police said Chang had been in contact with his family and friends via the Internet.
Police said an Internet game named Heaven, on which Chang spent several hours every day, played a key role in locating Chang.
Police said they had already locked on to Chang's whereabouts, and was able to confirm his location through his IP address approximately a week before Wednesday's raid. Police said the house in Shalu Township (
Police yesterday arrested seven suspects who helped Chang go into hiding, in Taichung County, Taipei County, Nantou County and Taoyuan County. Others suspected of aiding Chang are still wanted.
Doctors at Tungs' General Hospital (
Chang was arrested after a shootout with police in Shalu Township Taichung County Wednesday morning. Chang, whose gang specialized in kidnapping for ransom money, had escaped police dragnets on at least four occasions before.
Chang and the gangsters began to kidnap for a living in 1995. Police said that Chang and his gang members were involved in at least 10 kidnapping cases. Two recent cases made capturing Chang a priority for the police. Chang and his gang allegedly kidnapped Hohsin Bus Co owner Yang Chin-yuan's (楊錦元) son last July, and held him for NT$36 million (US$1.13 million). Chang and his fellow outlaws also kidnapped Taichung businessman Yu Kuo-chu (于國柱), asking for NT$500 million in March. Yu was released after his family paid the ransom.
Tropical Storm Nari is not a threat to Taiwan, based on its positioning and trajectory, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Nari has strengthened from a tropical depression that was positioned south of Japan, it said. The eye of the storm is about 2,100km east of Taipei, with a north-northeast trajectory moving toward the eastern seaboard of Japan, CWA data showed. Based on its current path, the storm would not affect Taiwan, the agency said.
The Taipei Department of Health’s latest inspection of fresh fruit and vegetables sold in local markets revealed a 25 percent failure rate, with most contraventions involving excessive pesticide residues, while two durians were also found to contain heavy metal cadmium at levels exceeding safety limits. Health Food and Drug Division Director Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁) yesterday said the agency routinely conducts inspections of fresh produce sold at traditional markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, retail outlets and restaurants, testing for pesticide residues and other harmful substances. In its most recent inspection, conducted in May, the department randomly collected 52 samples from various locations, with testing showing
The cosponsors of a new US sanctions package targeting Russia on Thursday briefed European allies and Ukraine on the legislation and said the legislation would also have a deterrent effect on China and curb its ambitions regarding Taiwan. The bill backed by US senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal calls for a 500 percent tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports — targeting nations such as China and India, which account for about 70 percent of Russia’s energy trade, the bankroll of much of its war effort. Graham and Blumenthal told The Associated Press
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