TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taoyuan prosecutors on Monday (Oct. 7) indicted five individuals, including four military officers, for stealing and selling Army weapons, including a Stinger missile launcher.

In March 2023, law enforcement officers raided a criminal gang's arsenal and uncovered active military supplies, including a Stinger missile launcher and thousands of rounds of small arms ammunition. An investigation revealed that the items had been stolen from the 66th Marine Corps Brigade.

Marine Corps Systems Command confirmed in a press release after the investigation that several items were missing from their related units, per CNA. This included a launch tube from a double-mounted Stinger missile fired during a previous military exercise.

In October 2023, security officials repeatedly searched the 66th Marine Corps Brigade, including bases in Taoyuan and the Marine Corps Recruit Training Center in Pingtung. They arrested a military captain, surnamed Wang (王), and three non-commissioned officers surnamed Wang (王), Chiu (邱), and Tan (譚).

The investigation also uncovered that a man surnamed Xiong (熊), who had purchased the stolen military products, is currently the CEO of the Taiwan Airsoft and Airgun Association in New Taipei. Xiong previously served in the Navy before retiring in 2010.

According to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office, the captain and non-commissioned officers were indicted for crimes involving the theft and misappropriation of public property under the Anti-Corruption Act. Xiong was charged with purchasing stolen goods on one occasion and receiving stolen goods three times.