Thailand deports 15 Taiwanese facing fraud charges

Thailand deports 15 Taiwanese facing fraud charges

2011-07-11 01:18:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

TAIPEI (BNO NEWS) -- Fifteen Taiwanese suspects arrested in Thailand for alleged involvement in an international phone scam were repatriated on Sunday, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) in Taiwan said.

Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that Taiwanese and Thai authorities jointly cracked down on a phone fraud ring, arresting 32 suspects. Among them were 26 Taiwanese, five Chinese and one Burmese national.

The ministry said the remaining Taiwanese suspects will be deported back to Taiwan within a few days, adding that fraud gangs in Southeast Asia have seriously hurt Taiwan's image internationally.

This is the third repatriation case within a month. Three Taiwanese suspects were repatriated from Macau for alleged fraud and illegal possession of firearms on July 8.

And earlier this month, 14 Taiwanese suspects, who were first deported from the Philippines to China in early February, were repatriated. The incident sparked a diplomatic row that soured bilateral ties between Taipei and Manila.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-11