Premier Lai Ching-te today called for tough action over the growing number of fraud operations perpetrated by Taiwanese nationals abroad. These criminals have tarnished Taiwan's international image, and the government must step up law enforcement and mount an effective campaign against them.
For more than a year now, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) have been collaborating with the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) as well as prosecutorial, police and investigation agencies to prevent and curb cross-border scam operations, forming an interministerial platform in accordance with President Tsai's directives. Their endeavors have already produced promising results, Premier Lai affirmed.
The premier instructed agencies to focus on the following when carrying out their work:
1. The interministerial platform should plan and formulate tougher control measures for cases of domestic, international and cross-strait fraud operations. Proposals that are deemed feasible may then be executed by the appropriate agency.
2. MOFA should raise international awareness of Taiwan's determination and achievements in combating fraud operations. MOFA should also work with the MOJ to pursue cooperation with other countries and sign bilateral treaties and agreements targeting crime.
3. The MOJ and MOI should help prosecutorial, police and investigation agencies to identify masterminds of fraud rings, track the movements of ring members, and stop crime before it begins.
4. The MAC, MOJ and other agencies should continue working with mainland Chinese authorities to promote crime-fighting cooperation and provide mutual judicial assistance, including sharing of intelligence, exchange of evidence and documents, and repatriation of criminal proceeds. The MOI should also give a report on this topic at a future Executive Yuan public safety meeting.