The police had discovered the Singaporean woman withdrawing a large amount of cash from an ATM in Yunlin on March 7. -- PHOTO: YUNLIN DISTRICT PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A Singaporean woman, 27, was arrested in Taiwan’s Yunlin county on suspicion of colluding with others to scam and launder money, said the local district prosecutor’s office on April 15.
The woman, who was identified only by her initials KHT, has been in a detention centre in the western Taiwanese county since March 9, Yunlin’s Dounan Police Precinct deputy investigating chief Hong Cai-xing told The Straits Times, adding that she had entered Taiwan on Feb 21.
The police discovered her withdrawing a large amount of cash from an ATM in Yunlin on March 7 and alerted the district prosecutor and Taiwanese immigration officials, who stopped her from leaving the island on March 8, said the Yunlin prosecutor’s office.
Preliminary investigations found that when she arrived in Taiwan, she was ferried around by a 54-year-old local man. She was initially found to have withdrawn around NT$7.46 million (S$302,000).
Then on April 9, three locals – two men and a woman – were arrested in connection with the case, with cash and phones confiscated by the police. Like the Singaporean woman, they are being investigated for fraud, money laundering and organised crime.
If convicted of fraud involving at least NT$5 million, an offender can face a 10-year jail term and a fine of up to NT$30 million.
The district prosecutor’s office reminded foreigners visiting Taiwan that being ferried by drivers to withdraw illicit funds may be enough to make them an accomplice to criminal activity and face prosecution.
The Straits Times has contacted Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information.
