Malaysian backpacker caught in Chiayi for allegedly acting as money mule

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) A Malaysian male backpacker who came to Taiwan recently was arrested on suspicion of acting as a money mule when he prepared to receive NT$1 million (US$30,736) in cash in Chiayi City last week, local police said Monday.

The Chiayi City Second Police Precinct said that a victim who was defrauded of millions of New Taiwan dollars reported the case to the police a few days ago.

According to the precinct, the fraudsters told the victim that he needed to pay an additional NT$1 million in cash to retrieve his money. This prompted the victim to cooperate with the police, pretending to agree to the payment.

The two parties agreed to meet at Linsen East Road in Chiayi City around noon on Saturday for the money handover, the precinct said.

When the Malaysian man arrived to collect the money at the agreed time, he was ambushed and arrested on the spot by the police.

The police said that the 40-year-old Malaysian man is believed to be a money mule of a fraud ring. He came to Taiwan on Nov. 9 under the pretext of sightseeing.

The man did not have a passport on him, and the police suspected that it was taken by a fraud group to prevent him from double-crossing them and absconding with the money.

The Malaysian man claimed that he came to Taiwan as a backpacker, browsed Facebook, and saw a high-paying part-time job advertisement, which he applied for with the intention of earning living expenses.

According to the police, the man said that he would receive a commission each time he completed a task. He claimed he was unaware that his actions were illegal.

Law enforcement authorities said the man was found receiving a fake ID, mobile phone, signature and other documents at the Taoyuan High-Speed Rail Station on Saturday morning. He then took the high-speed rail south to Chiayi to get the victim's money.

After police questioning, the Malaysian national was transferred to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office on suspicion of fraud. On Sunday, the Chiayi District Court approved the prosecutors office's request for his detention.

Police said they have recently discovered that some fraud syndicates were recruiting and using individuals from Southeast Asia as money mules by offering high rewards.

These people are chosen because, after handling large sums of money intensively over a short period, they can easily leave the country to avoid detection.

The Chiayi District Court said that the Malaysian man denied committing any crimes, but relevant phone records, notebooks, and other seized items could all prove he is a suspect.

In addition, despite claiming that he is a foreign traveler, he has not booked a place of residence and has no relatives or friends in Taiwan.

The court said it approved the request for his detention to ensure a smooth subsequent investigation into the case.