Six suspects have been detained after two decomposed bodies were found stuffed into drums last week, Criminal Investigation Bureau officials said in Taichung yesterday.
One of the suspects, Hsu Te-yi (徐德益), 34, is believed to head a Taichung-based crime ring, the officials said, adding that the other five men are surnamed Chang (張), Tung (童), Chao (趙), Wang (王) and Sung (宋).
The two victims were identified as a man surnamed Huang (黃), 54, and a 16-year-old girl, whose family reported her missing in May 2017. Their bodies were found on Wednesday.
There are three other alleged accomplices, including Hsu’s wife, surnamed Chen (陳), a male juvenile and another man who is serving time in prison for another case, bureau officials said.
Bureau units in cooperation with a local police precinct rounded up the suspects over the weekend.
Hsu and Chen were found in Hualien, having fled Taichung after Hsu’s subordinates tipped him off about his imminent arrest, the officials said.
Investigators said that Hsu’s gang kidnapped Huang last year.
Hsu became involved in a land dispute as he was trying buy up properties worth more than NT$20 million (US$694,372). Huang was one of the owners and testified in a trail at the Taichung District Court against Hsu.
Hsu allegedly told his subordinates to kidnap Huang and take him to a dog breeding compound in a mountainous area near Taichung, investigators said.
Huang was allegedly beaten up, and then shot by Hsu with a handgun, they said, adding that his body was stuffed into a large plastic drum, which was filled with strong acid.
After the acid corroded the body, Hsu told his subordinates to pour concrete mix into the drum and dispose of it in a hilly area in Miaoli County, investigators said.
Hsu allegedly suspected the teen of stealing his money, they said.
She was taken to an area in Hsinchu County, where she was beaten and stabbed to death, investigators said, adding that her body was stuffed in a plastic drum, and doused in acid and concrete mix, before the drum was left in Taichung.
The murders were only revealed when a member of the gang told police they had seen the incidents.
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