Cross-strait
crime wave threatens quality of life
IMPORTED
THUGS: The Criminal Investigation Bureau says over 3,500 Chinese
criminals were arrested in Taiwan from Jan. 1 through Oct. 31
for a broad range of offenses
2001/12/25
CNA AND AFP, TAIPEI
Organized crime across the Taiwan Strait is becoming
rampant and presents a formidable challenge to Taiwan's law
enforcement, said Meng Wei-teh (孟維德), an associate professor
in public administration from the National Central Police University.
Cross-strait crimes are now seriously disturbing social order,
hampering Taiwan's economic development and posing a serious
threat to people's quality of life, Meng said.
Meng said Taiwan and China are separated only by a "ditch."
He said that because the people from both sides are from the
same race with almost identical languages and customs, crimes
of all kinds easily bridge the distance between the two. Meng
mentioned crimes like goods smuggling, drug trafficking, the
sale of illegal weapons, smuggling of human cargo and hijacking.
Quoting tallies from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Meng
said the number of criminals who have fled Taiwan to China has
risen annually for the last 10 years.
During that time, Taiwanese law enforcement authorities have
requested cooperation from Chinese authorities to attempt to
jointly apprehend 335 criminals wanted in Taiwan. Of that total,
only 87 have been caught while the remaining 74 percent remain
at large, Meng said.
The Judicial Yuan's Criminal Investigation Bureau says these
Taiwanese criminals, most of them leading gang figures, were
found to have "remotely controlled" their cross-strait
operations, including drugs and weapons trafficking, smuggling
of laborers and prostitutes from China and shipping stolen cars
from Taiwan.
Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31 this year,
3,647 Chinese people were nabbed by Taiwanese law enforcement
authorities for violating ROC laws.
Of the total, 1,150, or 31.5 percent,
were arrested or repatriated for illegally working in Taiwan,
953 women, or 26.1 percent, were apprehended while working in
the sex trade, and 866 people, or 23.8 percent, were found to
be illegal immigrants from China.
Taiwanese police have found that 47.8
percent, or 50.8kg of the 106.4kg of heroin confiscated in 1999,
originated from China, and 68 percent of the 1,214.5kg of amphetamines
seized the same year were from across the Taiwan Strait.
Meanwhile, authorities plan to tighten restrictions on trips
by government officials to China for reasons of national security,
it was reported yesterday.
Government security officials could face a fine of up to NT$1
million if they travel to the mainland in contravention of the
new regulations, the Liberty Times said,
The report added that retired government officials who breach
the restrictions could have their retirement pensions and other
benefits revoked. The amended laws are pending final deliberation
in parliament.
Pan Hsi-hsien, a retired section chief from the National Security
Bureau was reportedly held by mainland authorities during a
visit there last year and has so far not returned.
Military sources said security authorities had withdrawn some
100 important agents from the mainland fearing part of the nation's
intelligence network had been compromised following a series
of recent setbacks.
Policemen are already banned by law from visiting China, but
a total of 144 policemen have visited Hong Kong and Macau at
least three times without permission, according to a National
Police Administration spokesman who added that a series of punishments
had been meted out.
