18 indicted in transnational human smuggling operation

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) The Pingtung District Prosecutors Office has indicted 18 individuals, eight for facilitating illegal border crossings and 10 for illegally leaving Taiwan, in violation of the Immigration Act and relevant laws.

The prosecutors office said in a statement issued Wednesday that in March, it was alerted to suspicious activity involving a fishing boat registered in Pingtung's Donggang, the Yi Chang Hao (億錩號), which was intercepted southwest of Donggang while allegedly carrying 10 undocumented passengers.

After an investigation, prosecutors uncovered a suspected human smuggling ring led by a suspect surnamed Hsu (許), 43, along with seven others, who arranged for the 10 individuals to illegally leave Taiwan on board the fishing vessel, allegedly with the intention of engaging in scam operations in Cambodia.

Among the 10 passengers, eight were fugitives wanted for major offenses including drug trafficking, firearms and aggravated fraud.

One was under a court-issued travel ban for a drug trafficking case and another was a Chinese national who had entered Taiwan illegally.

All 18 have been held in incommunicado as ordered by the district court and those with confirmed sentences are being sent to serve their jail terms.

According to the prosecutors, ringleader Hsu and another suspect surnamed Wu (吳), 29, began preparations to transport the fugitives out of the country late last year, organizing travel routes, boat transport and accommodation.

Each person was charged NT$1.5 million (US$50,949) for illegal transport to Cambodia, where they would have allegedly worked with local scam groups to repay their smuggling fees.

The plan involved the individuals initially boarding a foam raft from the shore, then transferring to a fishing vessel to cross beyond Taiwan's 12-nautical-mile (22.2 km) boundary. After that, they boarded the Yi Chang Hao for the journey to Cambodia. However, the operation was foiled when the vessel was intercepted by Taiwan's coast guard 137 nautical miles off the coast of Donggang.

Following the investigation, prosecutors determined that Hsu and six others were in violation of the Immigration Act, while another suspect surnamed Lin (林) was charged with harboring fugitives.

The 10 individuals leaving Taiwan illegally were indicted under the Immigration Act and the National Security Act, with the Chinese national surnamed Chen (陳) being charged under the two laws as well as the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

The prosecution has requested a sentence of 8 years for Hsu and 6 years and 6 months for Wu, who provided the fishing vessel and helped with the planning, according to the statement.