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Copyright 2002 Financial Times Information
All rights reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright 2002 Central News Agency (Taiwan)
Central News Agency (Taiwan)
December 28, 2002
LENGTH: 970 words
HEADLINE: HUGE STASH OF SMUGGLED FIREARMS SEIZED, 2 SUSPECTS ARRESTED
BODY:
Kaohsiung, Dec. 28 (CNA) Police nabbed two firearms dealing suspects, including a Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau staff member, and seized a large stash of smuggled firearms in a pre-dawn raid Saturday in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.
The two suspects were identified as Tsai Ming-chang, 45, a sailor with the harbor bureau, and Lin Yung-yuan, 49, who is believed to be a firearms trading broker.
Police also seized a total of 15 pistols, 828 rounds of ammunition and more than 10 bank passbooks. Police said they suspect that nearly 100 guns smuggled through Tsai may have flowed into the domestic black market. After more than five months of tracking and ambushes, police managed to nab Tsai and Lin when they were trading smuggled firearms at a back alley in Kaohsiung's Kushan district at around 3 a.m.
Police uncovered an Italian pistol and 80 bullets in Lin's travel van. They then raided Tsai's residence in the vicinity and discovered 397 rounds of ammunition in a secret cave in the garage. Police also dug up 14 German-made, Brazilian-made and Swedish-made guns and 350 rounds of ammunition from the cesspit at Tsai's home. All of the guns were wrapped with Thai newspapers.
Also uncovered at Tsai's home were more than 10 bank passbooks owned by Tsai himself as well as his wife and his elder brother. Police found that these bank accounts have more than NT$ 6 million in deposits. "We'll probe whether the money was earned from illegal firearms trade," a police officer said.
Initial investigations show that Tsai had taken advantage of his job as a harbor bureau docking sailor to smuggle firearms from Thailand and the Philippines.
"Tsai usually bought firearms from foreign cargo ship crew members and smuggled them into Taiwan proper during work. He then sold the firearms to prospective buyers through Lin Yung-yuan and other brokers," the officer said.
He said Tsai might have been conducting the illegal operations for more than one year, with some 100 pistols traded. "We'll further probe relevant smuggling and trading channels and bring to justice all those involved in the trade," he added.
The Kaohsiung city police bureau received tips about Tsai's suspicious actions some six months ago, the officer said, adding that the bureau has since formed a special task force to investigate the case. The task force also includes staff members from the Chiayi and Tainan police offices and from the harbor bureau's police unit.
Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh paid a visit to the city police headquarters after learning of the successful raid and presented a cash award of NT$ 300,000 to boost police morale.
"I'm very pleased to see the timely success in the case to stem the possible occurrence of many violent crimes," Hsieh said. (By Sofia Wu) enditem
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What struck me was what they are considering a "huge stash". I'm afraid those authorities would really freak at the personal collections of some on this board......
All rights reserved
Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright 2002 Central News Agency (Taiwan)
Central News Agency (Taiwan)
December 28, 2002
LENGTH: 970 words
HEADLINE: HUGE STASH OF SMUGGLED FIREARMS SEIZED, 2 SUSPECTS ARRESTED
BODY:
Kaohsiung, Dec. 28 (CNA) Police nabbed two firearms dealing suspects, including a Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau staff member, and seized a large stash of smuggled firearms in a pre-dawn raid Saturday in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.
The two suspects were identified as Tsai Ming-chang, 45, a sailor with the harbor bureau, and Lin Yung-yuan, 49, who is believed to be a firearms trading broker.
Police also seized a total of 15 pistols, 828 rounds of ammunition and more than 10 bank passbooks. Police said they suspect that nearly 100 guns smuggled through Tsai may have flowed into the domestic black market. After more than five months of tracking and ambushes, police managed to nab Tsai and Lin when they were trading smuggled firearms at a back alley in Kaohsiung's Kushan district at around 3 a.m.
Police uncovered an Italian pistol and 80 bullets in Lin's travel van. They then raided Tsai's residence in the vicinity and discovered 397 rounds of ammunition in a secret cave in the garage. Police also dug up 14 German-made, Brazilian-made and Swedish-made guns and 350 rounds of ammunition from the cesspit at Tsai's home. All of the guns were wrapped with Thai newspapers.
Also uncovered at Tsai's home were more than 10 bank passbooks owned by Tsai himself as well as his wife and his elder brother. Police found that these bank accounts have more than NT$ 6 million in deposits. "We'll probe whether the money was earned from illegal firearms trade," a police officer said.
Initial investigations show that Tsai had taken advantage of his job as a harbor bureau docking sailor to smuggle firearms from Thailand and the Philippines.
"Tsai usually bought firearms from foreign cargo ship crew members and smuggled them into Taiwan proper during work. He then sold the firearms to prospective buyers through Lin Yung-yuan and other brokers," the officer said.
He said Tsai might have been conducting the illegal operations for more than one year, with some 100 pistols traded. "We'll further probe relevant smuggling and trading channels and bring to justice all those involved in the trade," he added.
The Kaohsiung city police bureau received tips about Tsai's suspicious actions some six months ago, the officer said, adding that the bureau has since formed a special task force to investigate the case. The task force also includes staff members from the Chiayi and Tainan police offices and from the harbor bureau's police unit.
Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh paid a visit to the city police headquarters after learning of the successful raid and presented a cash award of NT$ 300,000 to boost police morale.
"I'm very pleased to see the timely success in the case to stem the possible occurrence of many violent crimes," Hsieh said. (By Sofia Wu) enditem
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What struck me was what they are considering a "huge stash". I'm afraid those authorities would really freak at the personal collections of some on this board......
