An illegal online gambling operation by a criminal ring based in Taoyuan has been shut down, the Criminal Investigation Bureau said yesterday, adding that the Web site handled NT$1 billion (US$32.47 million) in bets over the past six months.
Police earlier this month raided several places in Jhongli District (中壢), arresting a number of suspects, including the two suspected leaders surnamed Peng (彭) and Hsu (徐), the bureau said.
“Police entered Peng’s residence in Jhongli, seizing money-counting machines and computers, as well as two telephones, account books, NT$1.72 million in cash and other material,” Fourth Investigation Corps Captain Chang Yao-han (張躍瀚) said.
Chang said the Web site was linked to the China-based site Beijing Auto Racing PK10 (北京賽車PK10), reportedly one of the most popular forms of online gambling.
The site offers rewards for betting on major sports events, an online lottery, bingo and simulated auto racing games.
Taiwanese placed about NT$20 million in bets each week with the Taoyuan group, totaling about NT$1 billion in the past six months, Chang said.
On Sept. 5, officers raided a residential building, where they found computers and communication equipment used to run an illegal gambling Web site, the bureau said, adding that Hsu was in charge, along with four alleged members of the criminal ring.
The officers also found that Hsu and the others were using ketamine, the bureau said, adding that they would also be charged for possession of illegal drugs.
Investigators quoted Hsu as saying during questioning that he and higher-ranking members of the group received permission from the site’s Chinese operators to set up a branch in Taiwan under a profit-sharing arrangement.
Hsu said he took no part in the operation and did not handle any money, but only worked as a “branch manager” for the site’s Chinese proprietors, receiving a small commission, investigators said.
He only made NT$10 million, which he had to share with other members of the operation and young people who were hired to do odd jobs, he was quoted as saying.
Restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to be included in the Michelin Guide’s review for the first time this year, alongside existing entries from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the France-based culinary publication said yesterday. This year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Taiwan is to be unveiled on Aug. 19 in Taipei. In addition to the coveted star ratings, Michelin Taiwan would announce its “Bib Gourmand” selections — a distinction awarded to establishments offering high-quality food at moderate prices — on Aug. 12. This year’s Bib Gourmand list would also feature restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu
A firefighter yesterday died after falling into New Taipei City's Xindian River when a rescue dinghy capsized during a search mission for a man who was later found dead. The New Taipei City Fire Department said that it received a report at 4:12pm that a 50-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), had fallen into the river. A 32-year-old firefighter, surnamed Wu (吳), was among the rescuers deployed to look for Chen, the fire department said, adding that he and five other rescue personnel were in the dinghy when it capsized. Wu had no vital signs after being pulled from the water to the
Organizing one national referendum and 26 recall elections targeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators could cost NT$1.62 billion (US$55.38 million), the Central Election Commission said yesterday. The cost of each recall vote ranges from NT$16 million to NT$20 million, while that of a national referendum is NT$1.1 billion, the commission said. Based on the higher estimate of NT$20 million per recall vote, if all 26 confirmed recall votes against KMT legislators are taken into consideration, along with the national referendum on restarting the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, the total could be as much as NT$1.62 billion, it said. The commission previously announced
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday welcomed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks that the organization’s cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners must be deepened to deter potential threats from China and Russia. Rutte on Wednesday in Berlin met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ahead of a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Germany’s accession to NATO. He told a post-meeting news conference that China is rapidly building up its armed forces, and the number of vessels in its navy outnumbers those of the US Navy. “They will have another 100 ships sailing by 2030. They now have 1,000 nuclear warheads,” Rutte said, adding that such
RSS