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Former fire chief
arrested for allegedly accepting large quantities of bribes
By Rich Chang / Staff reporter
Former National Fire Agency
director-general Huang Chi-min speaks at a press conference in this undated file
photo.
Photo: CNA
Former National Fire Agency
director-general Huang Chi-min (¶À©u±Ó) was arrested yesterday by prosecutors in
Taipei on suspicion of receiving bribes from contractors during his term in
office.
Huang is currently a vice general manager at Formosa Plastics Group (¥x¶ì¶°¹Î) and
director of the group¡¦s naphtha cracker in Yunlin County¡¦s Mailiao Township
(³Á¼d).
More than 160 investigators raided Huang¡¦s residence, his office at Formosa
Plastics in Taipei and 39 other locations.
Huang was taken in for questioning, while 15 others, including incumbent agency
officials and contractors, were summoned.
Investigators said they seized 18 gold bars in Huang¡¦s residence and office. The
bars weigh 17kg and are worth close to NT$23 million (US$770,000), they said.
Investigators said Huang, who served as director-general at the agency between
2003 and 2009, was in charge of a number of procurement projects during his term
and is suspected of profiteering involving more than NT$100 million.
Those procurement projects included a wireless warning system, as well as
communications and GPS networks, among others, investigators said.
Investigators said they also found Huang had recently wired NT$200 million to
overseas accounts. Huang and his family members¡¦ accounts were all targets in
the investigation, they said.
They added that the investigation was launched after three years of
surveillance.
Local newspapers reported yesterday that because Formosa Plastics Group¡¦s
naphtha cracker had caught fire on several occasions in recent years, the group
had asked Huang to improve safety at the facility.
The agency said it was cooperating with the investigation.
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