Two suspects were charged and released after posting bail yesterday after an investigation into a woman’s death found that she had consumed recreational drugs in “narcotic coffee powder” mixed with alcoholic drinks at a days-long party at a luxury hotel in Taipei.
Prosecutors had summoned three men — Chiang Che-wei (江哲瑋), Hung Sheng-yan (洪聖晏) and one surnamed Chu (朱) — for questioning, as they were with the 21-year-old woman, surnamed Kuo (郭), in the hotel room on Wednesday prior to her losing consciousness.
After questioning at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, Hung and Chiang were charged with negligence resulting in death before being released on bail of NT$300,000 and NT$100,000 respectively.
Photo: Chien Lee-chung, Taipei Times
Investigators from the Xinyi District (信義) Police Precinct yesterday questioned a young woman surnamed Liu (劉), who reportedly attended the drug-and-alcohol-fueled sex party and helped carry Kuo to the hotel’s lobby, where she was taken by taxi to Cathay General Hospital.
According to a police report, Chu, a wealthy socialite, rented a VIP suite on the 25th floor of the W Hotel for five days and invited Hung and other friends to the party.
Hung then contacted Chiang, who works at a nightclub, and other male friends who invited five female acquaintances to the party, which lasted four days, with people coming and going throughout that period, the report said.
Kuo, who was reportedly invited by Chiang, arrived on Sunday last week and was carried out unconscious on Wednesday.
During questioning, Chiang said partygoers had sex and indulged in food, alcoholic beverages and “narcotic coffee powder.”
According to police, “narcotic coffee powder” is a new form of recreational drug that has become popular among young people. They said it has become one of the leading causes of drug overdose-related deaths.
The mixture — consisting of cannabis, amphetamines or mephedrone (commonly known as “bath salts”) mixed with other stimulants and narcotics, according to police — is sealed in packets and often disguised as commercial ground coffee, which is not easily detected, they said.
Chiang reportedly told investigators that Kuo had consumed alcoholic drinks and the mixture.
Blood tests confirmed that she had consumed illegal drugs, but her cause of death has not been determined, officials said.
Police conducted drug tests on urine samples from the three men and Liu to check if they also consumed illegal drugs.
Investigators suspect that besides the drugs and alcohol, sexual assault and violence might have contributed to Kuo’s death.
Kuo’s family, who live in Taitung County, said she had worked as a model, rejecting speculation that she was an escort.
Kuo was a nice girl and was not prone to partying, relatives said, demanding that authorities conduct a thorough investigation, as they suspect she was sexually abused after being force-fed drugs.
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