Taoyuan prosecutors have indicted seven people led by 26-year-old Chiang Cheng-en in an alleged human trafficking case that investigators say involved luring Taiwanese residents overseas for organ harvesting in China.
According to the report, the group offered between 100,000 and 300,000 Tether tokens per person successfully sent out of Taiwan. That was described as roughly NT$3.15 million to NT$9.57 million for each victim.
Recruitment posts appeared on Facebook and Telegram
Investigators said the ring used seemingly ordinary recruitment posts on Facebook and Telegram. The posts promoted jobs such as working as a fraud cash mule or helping move goods out of the country in exchange for attractive pay, targeting people willing to take on legally risky work.
After some applicants responded, victims were allegedly taken to a residence in Zhongli, where a 24-year-old suspect surnamed Chou and a 26-year-old suspect surnamed Chien took turns watching them while waiting for outbound travel arrangements.
Three victims were stopped before leaving Taiwan
A later review by the task force found that three people had fallen into the trap. All three were intercepted before any departure was arranged, and no one actually left Taiwan.
Three minors connected to the case were separately referred to juvenile court under Taiwan’s Juvenile Delinquency Act.
Investigation began with phone data in another case
The case came to light after Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau handled a separate case involving a teenager surnamed Chang and reconstructed communications found on his phone. During that review, officers found a LINE group in which members discussed how to send people overseas, and the matter was then reported to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for further direction.
Chief prosecutor Chang Chun-hui designated the matter as a priority case and assigned prosecutor Yang Shu-han to form a task force. Investigators then compared call records and money flows to map out the organization’s structure and division of roles.
Arrests followed searches at five locations
Authorities carried out the operation in two rounds, on May 21 and July 15 this year. Acting on warrants issued by the Taoyuan District Court, investigators searched five locations, seized mobile phones and other key evidence, and gradually brought in all seven suspects, including Chiang.
Chiang and three other members surnamed Chen, Chien and Lai were ordered detained without visitation because of what prosecutors described as more serious involvement.
Charges include attempted human trafficking offenses
After completing the investigation, prosecutors filed charges under several statutes. The list included participation in a criminal organization under the Organized Crime Prevention Act, attempted human trafficking under the Criminal Code, attempted use of fraud for profit to send people abroad, and attempted organ harvesting by fraudulent means for profit under the Human Trafficking Prevention Act.
Prosecutors wrote in the indictment that this kind of conduct crosses a universal human rights red line and leaves no room for tolerance in a civilized society. They asked the court to impose heavier punishment and sentence each of the seven defendants to seven years in prison.
Prosecutors warn against fake high-paying job offers
Taoyuan prosecutors said the public should not trust online job offers promising high pay for roles such as cash mules or assisting smuggling. They warned that chasing small gains could leave people treated as commodities by trafficking groups.