Translated and compiled by Shin-wei Chang

The Vietnam police have cracked a telecom fraud ring, which consists of six Taiwanese.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), more than ten Vietnamese were victims of the fraud group. The accomplices of the fraud ring disguised as law enforcement officers to swindle money out of the victims and gained over NT$8.25 million (approximately US$256,000).

Representing the Taiwan government, MOFA says it respects the jurisdiction of the Vietnam government and will protect the legal rights of the Taiwanese. In line with the Agreement on the Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Crime with Vietnam signed in 2012, Taiwan’s representative office in Ho Chi Minh City has been asking the Vietnam government to provide more details of the case.

Taiwanese committing telecom fraud around the world

In Australia, police are prosecuting two Taiwanese suspected of servitude and running a phone scamming operation involving 50 Taiwanese that was busted last year.

On March 25, the Malaysia police arrested 119 suspects for committing telecom fraud, 52 were Taiwanese. China sent an airplane, intending to deport the Taiwanese to China. With the effort of the MOFA and the Ministry of Justice, 20 of the Taiwanese were deported to Taiwan on April 15.

With the evidence of the case sent to China instead of Taiwan, the Taiwanese police had no choice but to release the suspects after the 20 people landed. This enraged some Taiwanese and they have been criticizing the government for releasing the suspects.

Earlier this month, 45 Taiwanese suspected of telephone fraud in Kenya were forced to travel to China to face charges. Many had already been acquitted by Kenyan authorities. On April 14, two of them reportedly confessed to the crime when interviewed by Chinese state-run media.

Currently, more than one hundred Taiwanese have been arrested for fraud overseas, including 73 people still under investigation in Indonesia, 40 people in jail in Egypt, 32 people detained in Malaysia and five people in Kenya.

Debate among netizens

Some netizens have been criticizing the Taiwan government for releasing the suspects in the Malaysia fraud case, while others object to the idea of arresting anyone without concrete evidence or a warrant. People also point out how little criminals committing fraud would be fined under current Taiwan laws, urging an amendment for aggravating the punishment.

Edited by Olivia Yang

Sources:

“Six Taiwanese phone fraud suspects arrested in Vietnam" (Focus Taiwan)

“Australia, Vietnam break up Taiwanese fraud rings" (Taiwan News)

ETToday

China Times

CNA

CNA

UDN News

Apple Daily

UDN News