With the booming development of the online gambling industry, related illegal issues have also become increasingly severe. In Taiwan, the judicial and police departments have launched large-scale special operations to eradicate gambling crimes and maintain social order, aiming to eliminate online gambling and money laundering activities.
Government Focuses on Online Gambling Money Laundering Issues
A recent survey shows that many so-called "entertainment cities" are conducting money laundering activities through virtual currencies and third-party payment platforms. As Vice President-elect Lai Ching-te is about to take office on May 20, senior judicial and police officials have initiated a ten-day "Gambling Crackdown Project." The focus of this series of actions is to purify gambling venues, and it will be carried out simultaneously across Taiwan from May 6 to May 15.
Police Supervision Involved in Gambling Crimes
Shockingly, even Lin Ming-zuo, a senior police supervisor from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, is suspected of colluding with gambling groups, with 20 million Taiwan dollars of unclear funds flowing into his personal account. This reveals corruption within the law enforcement system and raises public doubts about the integrity of the police force.
Expanding the Scope of the Crackdown
In addition to targeting online gambling operators, this special operation also involves large professional casinos and other illegal activities, such as arms and drug trafficking. Moreover, the judicial and police departments have issued hundreds of search warrants and plan to launch a second wave of search operations in the coming weeks to further compress the crime space.
Gambling Operator Guo Zhe-min Charged with Money Laundering
In another case, Guo Zhe-min, head of AE Group, has been charged with operating an illegal gambling website and conducting underground money exchange laundering activities amounting to 21.7 billion Taiwan dollars. Guo Zhe-min's arrest once again highlights the severity of the online gambling money laundering problem Taiwan faces.
Ongoing Monitoring and Future Directions
Even though some cases involving the largest online gambling site "Xingcheng Online" have been closed, legal disputes have not been fully resolved, showing that the government still needs to make more efforts in maintaining legal justice and combating crime. Before the May 20 inauguration ceremony, the judicial and police will announce the preliminary results of the project, demonstrating their determination and effectiveness.
