TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The head of Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau visited Palau to help the country fight money launderers from China, reports said Friday.
MJIB Director General Michael Chen (陳白立) held talks with officials from Taiwan’s diplomatic ally to deepen judicial cooperation, per CNA. The visit took place between Dec. 11-14, but the MJIB only revealed news about the trip on Friday.
Chen met with the acting justice minister, the head of the government’s financial intelligence department, and the chief of public security. Since a judicial cooperation agreement went into effect in June, the two countries have worked closely together on human trafficking, online gambling, money laundering, and telecom fraud, the MJIB said.
After Chen’s visit, law enforcement in Palau arrested seven Chinese and confiscated more than 70 smartphones and 20 computers. The group was suspected of running a money-laundering center, according to the authorities.
The MJIB said the crackdown was the result of Chen sharing the service’s experiences of fighting Chinese online gambling syndicates with Palau. There is evidence that Chinese crime groups are moving from Southeast Asia to Palau as a result of tougher international measures against fraud, the MJIB said.