Taiwan Police Crack Down on Gangs in Religious Activities Across 6 Counties, Arresting 68 Suspects from 12 Organizations

(CNA, Reporter Huang Li-Yun, Taipei, 18th) A conflict during the recent Dajia Mazu pilgrimage resulted in injuries to three police officers. The Criminal Investigation Bureau announced today that to prevent criminal organizations from infiltrating temples and endangering public security, a "Coordinated Regional Anti-Gang Operation" was recently carried out across six counties and cities, leading to the investigation and arrest of 12 criminal organizations and 68 suspects. The National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Bureau issued a press release this afternoon, stating that in light of the recent violent incident during the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage in the Changhua area, and to prevent illicit criminal organizations from infiltrating temple systems and engaging in illegal activities under the guise of religious and folk events, the National Police Agency planned and implemented the "Coordinated Regional Anti-Gang Operation" from April 27 to May 6, targeting six counties and cities: Taichung City, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County, and Chiayi City. The Criminal Investigation Bureau pointed out that this operation broke traditional administrative boundaries. The police departments of the six neighboring counties and cities, which form a closely-knit living area along the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage route in central and southern Taiwan, simultaneously activated a regional joint defense mechanism to conduct coordinated anti-gang operations within their jurisdictions. The operation involved "immediate strikes and simultaneous investigations" against the criminal activities of gang-related violent crime groups and violent incidents related to high-profile religious and folk activities. Furthermore, through exhaustive intelligence tracing, they continued to uncover the masterminds and key figures behind the scenes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau stated that the operation mobilized 2,011 police officers, who forcefully investigated and arrested key cadres and members of the Bamboo Union and other gang syndicates and criminal organizations, including those hiding within temple troupes to engage in illegal activities. They also swept 705 locations operated or frequented by these criminal organizations, investigating 12 criminal organizations and 68 suspects, and seizing over NT$540,000 in illicit funds, making every effort to stabilize regional security. Related achievements include the arrest of a criminal organization of 8 people led by a suspect surnamed Hsu in Taichung City, which recruited teenagers under the guise of a temple troupe and used violence to punish members who left the organization. In Changhua County, the investigation into suspects involved in obstructing official duties during the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage was expanded. During the operation, members wearing clothing printed with temple names were tracked down, and a total of 7 suspects, including one surnamed Chen, were arrested. In addition, Yunlin County continued its special investigation, and under the direction of the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office, arrested 23 suspects, including one surnamed Tsai, for their involvement in the group assault on former Beigang Chaotian Temple chairman Tseng Tsai Mei-tso. The National Police Agency emphasized that "zero tolerance for gangs" is the government's principle regarding gang activities and that any criminal organization or gang member is strictly prohibited from illegally intervening in temple or religious folk activities. In the future, in addition to continuing to use a "whack-a-mole" approach for rapid and forceful strikes, they will also leverage teamwork to conduct cross-jurisdictional intelligence integration and analysis, proactively integrating and expanding the focus to strike at core related individuals. Furthermore, they will cooperate with various competent authorities to impose strong administrative interventions and penalties on industries, temples, and other locations invested in or operated by gangs, to thoroughly cut off their financial lifelines and dependent spaces, and will absolutely not tolerate lawless elements intervening in religious folk activities or causing trouble under the guise of temple troupes. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150518