Flow chart of loan sharking and violent debt collection crimes. (Photo by reporter Xu Guozhen)
A man surnamed Chen, a member of the Bamboo Union Gang Akihito, was wanted for drug and other crimes. Even after 13 years on the run, he still hid behind the scenes and controlled underground banks, lending money at the highest annual interest rate of 1353%. The borrowers did not pay, and were not only tortured but even raped. Called "sold abroad as piglets," the Criminal Bureau's Central Anti-Crime Center pursued the case for several months and arrested Chen Nan and other 11 people in four waves. They seized nearly 19.76 million yuan in property and a large number of violent debt collection tools, completely dismantling the gang's stronghold.
The first team leader of the Criminal Bureau, Zhan Zuowei, explained the case today and pointed out that the team received information in September last year and found that someone was restricted from freedom, beaten and abused because he was unable to repay a loan shark. They targeted a 35-year-old Chen man with a background from the Bamboo Alliance Akihito Association. It was found that Chen Nan had been involved in drug trafficking and negligent injury since 2013. He was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months in prison and was wanted. During his escape, he hid behind the scenes and controlled underground banks. He used social platforms to attract people who were in urgent need of money and required borrowers to sign promissory notes that were significantly higher than the actual amount received. The converted annual interest rate soared from 40% to 1353%, which was like "blood-sucking" layer upon layer of exploitation.
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In order to evade detection, Chen Nan even hid his debt collection base in the same building of a car dealership he knew well. Members also rented cars from the car dealership to cover their entrances and exits. Once the borrowers were unable to repay the money, they would send people to the borrower's home or workplace to post demand flyers, and even harassed relatives and friends to exert pressure based on his gang affiliation. One of the victims was brutally detained and beaten with electric shock bats, baseball bats, clothes hangers and bare hands, causing bleeding gums and multiple bruises on the body.
Another two victims and their family members were threatened and harassed. They were also told, "If you don't pay back the money, I'll shoot you" and "Get someone to drive into your house." They even threatened to kidnap the victims abroad as "piglets" and sell them abroad to engage in fraud. The methods were arrogant. After the task force collected evidence, they arrested Chen in four waves so far this year. Eleven men, including 11 people, seized a large number of cashier's checks, IOUs, customer personal information, as well as a large number of crime tools and stolen evidence such as knives, bats, and electric shock bats. The entire case was transferred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutor's Office for investigation on the grounds of extortion of large amounts of money, extortion of money through intimidation, etc. After Chen was arrested, he was directly sent to prison, and the remaining accomplices were released on bail of NT$10,000 to NT$50,000.
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The Criminal Bureau has closed down the network in four waves so far this year, arresting 11 people including Chen Nan. (Photo by reporter Xu Guozhen)
The police seized a large number of tools used in violent debt collection crimes. (Photo by reporter Xu Guozhen)
The police seized cash, large amounts of promissory notes, IOUs, loan information, account books, customer personal information, etc. (Photo by reporter Xu Guozhen)
