Three nightclub executives were detained yesterday after prosecutors on Friday indicted 12 people, including police officers who allegedly accepted bribes and sex services from businesses in Taipei.
Taipei prosecutors listed several officers from the Zhongshan Police Precinct as suspects in the case.
They are accused of accepting more than NT$5 million (US$176,641 at the current exchange rate) between them in bribes from the proprietor of businesses in the area of Linsen N and Zhongshan N roads from 2013 to 2017, prosecutors said.
A bail court judge on Friday ruled that police officers Lee Kung-hua (李功華) and Chen Chun-an (陳俊安) should be detained, while Tseng Hsiao-chi (曾小琪), reportedly the owner of the Jialibao Group, and a businessman surnamed Yu (游) and an accountant surnamed Lin (林), who worked for Tseng, were detained yesterday.
Prosecutors indicted Tseng, her associates and staff for “offenses against sexual morality.”
They allegedly operated businesses offering sexual services and bribed public officials, prosecutors said.
Lee and Chen were charged with breaching the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), with investigators saying that they received NT$20,000 each per month, and were given an additional NT$20,000 on each of three major traditional holidays each year.
Lee, Chen and other officers allegedly shielded businesses operated by the Jialibao Group from raids carried out by the police precinct and other law-enforcement groups.
Tseng reportedly operates several premises in the area, including the Fair Lady, Charming and Givenchy clubs.
Lee and Chen visited the clubs once or twice a month, sometimes paying for services, while on other occasions receiving discounts or paying nothing, prosecutors said.
The officers “have tainted the public’s respect for police and brought dishonor to the profession,” prosecutors said.
The investigation is ongoing, as other officers at the precinct have been implicated in the case, prosecutors said, adding that they are likely to announce further indictments in a separate case.
Prosecutors have been investigating police corruption linked to sex trade and businesses in the area, with raids and probes stretching back to 2018.
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