Malaysian Backpacker Arrested in Chiayi for Alleged Role as Money Mule.

Taipei: A Malaysian male backpacker was detained in Chiayi City for allegedly acting as a money mule, as he was about to receive NT$1 million (US$30,736) in cash, local police announced on Monday. According to Focus Taiwan, the Chiayi City Second Police Precinct was alerted by a victim who reported being defrauded of millions of New Taiwan dollars. The fraudsters had convinced the victim to pay an additional NT$1 million to recover his money. In coordination with the police, the victim agreed to the handover, which was scheduled to take place at Linsen East Road in Chiayi City around noon on Saturday. When the Malaysian man arrived to collect the cash, he was ambushed and arrested by police officers. The 40-year-old suspect, believed to be part of a fraud ring, had entered Taiwan on November 9 under the guise of being a tourist. During the arrest, he was found without a passport, leading police to suspect it had been confiscated by the fraud group to prevent him from fleeing with the money. The man claimed he was in Taiwan as a backpacker and had responded to a Facebook advertisement offering a lucrative part-time job. He stated that he was unaware of the illegal nature of his actions and expected to receive a commission for completing tasks assigned to him. Authorities discovered that the man had received a fake ID, mobile phone, signature, and other documents at Taoyuan High-Speed Rail Station earlier that day. He then traveled to Chiayi via high-speed rail to collect the victim's money. Following police interrogation, he was handed over to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office on fraud charges. The Chiayi District Court subsequently approved a request for his detention on Sunday. Police noted a recent trend of fraud syndicates recruiting Southeast Asian individuals as money mules by promising high rewards. These individuals are targeted because they can handle large sums of money quickly and then leave the country to avoid detection. The Chiayi District Court revealed that the suspect denied any criminal involvement. However, phone records, notebooks, and other seized items suggest otherwise. Despite his claims of being a traveler, the man had not arranged accommodations nor did he have any acquaintances in Taiwan. The court approved his detention to facilitate a thorough investigation into the case.