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Female snakehead arrested for luring 50 Taiwanese into Cambodia

Victims offered NT$100,000 for jobs, some families forced to pay NT$400,000 in ransom

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Chang (left) being escorted by police. (CIB photo)

Chang (left) being escorted by police. (CIB photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The female mastermind behind a snakehead ring that has trafficked at least 50 Taiwanese to Cambodia was arrested on Monday (Aug. 16).

Amid a recent surge in human trafficking cases of Taiwanese to Cambodia, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) conducted an investigation and found that a criminal group was offering high pay for jobs such as typing in Cambodia, only to force them into engaging in telecom scams. On Monday, CIB officers arrested the 41-year-old female mastermind of the human trafficking ring surnamed Chang (張) and three other suspects and were able to prevent five Taiwanese victims from going to Cambodia, reported ETtoday.

According to a preliminary investigation, Chang, a resident of Changhua City, trafficked at least 50 Taiwanese to Cambodia. Police found Chang and her accomplices operated Facebook and Instagram pages called "Side Jobs" (偏門工作) on which they offered a monthly salary of NT$100,000 (US$3,300) for jobs such as typing, computer work, and server room maintenance.

First, they would take their victims to a hotel, and after obtaining their passport and visa, they would transport them to the Taoyuan International Airport to board a flight out of the country. The victims were accompanied and monitored by snakehead ring members throughout the process.

On Aug. 15, police searched the residences of the suspect and seized a notebook that recorded the victims' travel information and detained four people in the case, including Chang, a 30-year-old male surnamed Lin (林), a 27-year-old man surnamed Chen (陳), and a 21-year-old man surnamed Hsieh (謝), reported Liberty Times. Police seized nine mobile phones, four passports from victims, three documents, one notebook, 11 receipts for victims' accommodations, and 10 receipts for passport applications.

Female snakehead arrested for luring 50 Taiwanese into Cambodia
Evidence found by police. (CNA photo)

A preliminary investigation has found that Chang had arranged for 50 people to go abroad over the past three months and the snakeheads received a NT$100,000 fee from the buyers overseas for each victim. Police were also able to stop five other victims from leaving the country.

The CIB pointed out that Chang was the leader of the snakehead ring in Taiwan. Since the beginning of May this year, Chang directed members, including Lin, to handle transportation, passport processing, PCR testing, and booking flights.

Female snakehead arrested for luring 50 Taiwanese into Cambodia
CIB officer speaking to three of the suspects. (CNA photo)

One victim surnamed Hsu (許) was able to escape from her captors by claiming to have a medical problem. However, a female victim surnamed Wang (王) who left the country on the same flight was not allowed to return to Taiwan until her family paid NT$400,000 in ransom, reported SET News.

Prosecutors are not investigating the suspects for violating the Human Trafficking Prevention Act (人口販運防制法) and Organized Crime Prevention Act (組織犯罪防制條例).

Female snakehead arrested for luring 50 Taiwanese into Cambodia
Chang (center) being escorted by police. (CIB photo)