Man on run for 18 years arrested following suspected illegal boat entry

Kaohsiung, April 6 (CNA) A Taiwanese fugitive who had been on the run in China for 18 years was arrested Saturday after allegedly entering Taiwan illegally by motorboat days earlier, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Southern Branch said Monday.

The man, surnamed Lee (李), was apprehended in Keelung City for suspected violation of the Immigration Act.

Investigators later found that Lee had fled to China 18 years ago after being involved in a firearms modification case and was subsequently listed as wanted, the CGA said in a news statement.

According to the CGA, a suspicious target was detected 5.8 nautical miles off the mouth of the Zhengwen River in Tainan at 4:05 p.m. on March 25. A patrol team arriving at 4:35 p.m. found an abandoned motorboat on a nearby beach.

Following a search of the area, the CGA deployed personnel to intercept possible illegal entrants and notified police to expand coastal patrols later that day.

The case is being investigated by the Tainan District Prosecutors Office, with the motorboat taken as evidence, the CGA said.

Lee's previous case will be transferred to the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office, which listed him as wanted 18 years ago, the agency said.