TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said Sunday the city will allocate NT$160 million (US$4.9 million) to improve police technology and investigative capacity following a series of organized crime sweeps.
Hou said public safety is paramount and praised police officers for their work, according to a press release. He announced budget commitments aimed at supporting frontline personnel and accelerating crimefighting efforts.
Hou said the city plans to allocate funding for a mobile evidence-collection system and an AI-powered criminal database. The upgrades are expected to improve analysis and intelligence gathering while speeding up investigations.
Hou said the city would remain the police’s strongest backer. New Taipei is also adding NT$5 million (US$153,000) to this year’s criminal investigation budget to support frontline officers.
Hou also highlighted new police facilities built since 2019, including 21 stations, three precincts, 11 substations, three traffic squads, three metro police branches, and one K-9 unit. He said 13 more facilities are planned and five are under construction.
The Second Administrative Center will house a modernized command center and war room, Hou said.
The New Taipei City Police Department said its ongoing campaign against organized crime and illegal firearms has so far targeted 101 groups involving 586 people. Authorities sought detention for 131 people, with 126 held in pretrial detention.
Police said weapons-related operations involved 38 cases and 57 suspects, with officers seizing nine standard firearms and 47 modified guns.
The police department said the campaign was launched after a series of high-profile incidents in Shulin, Sanxia, and Tucheng districts, prompting a citywide mobilization. It said 15 groups involving 81 members were prosecuted, while officers recovered two standard firearms and eight modified guns.
Most of the campaign focused on the Bamboo Union, with four groups involving 48 members targeted, police said. Another 20 people were brought in for other alleged offenses.
The Bamboo Union is the largest of Taiwan’s three major organized crime groups.
(New Taipei City Government photo)
