Taoyuan Police Officer Indicted for Manipulating Traffic Penalties

Central News Agency (Taoyuan) - A former officer from the Pingzhen Precinct of the Taoyuan City Police Department, surnamed Wu, has been indicted by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for colluding with a registration agent, surnamed Lu, to manipulate traffic penalties. The pair allegedly used fraudulent ticketing to change license suspensions into license revocations, allowing vehicle owners to bypass driving bans. According to the indictment, 36-year-old Wu served in the traffic division from November 2009 to October 2024, while 43-year-old Lu was a registration agent. Under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, drivers exceeding speed limits by over 60 km/h face a 3-6 month license suspension. Prosecutors noted that while a revocation is technically a heavier penalty, it allows owners to re-inspect their vehicles and apply for new plates, effectively bypassing the suspension period. Between November 2020 and February 2022, Wu allegedly helped Lu by issuing fraudulent tickets. Lu would remove the license plates and park the vehicles, after which Wu would stage a traffic stop. The owners benefited by avoiding the 3-6 month driving ban. Based on rental market rates and storage fees, the 46 cases involved a total benefit of NT$17,381,100, with Lu earning NT$138,000 in fees. Prosecutors have indicted both for corruption and document forgery, requesting appropriate sentencing given their confession.