Fake sea fishing and real direct flights to China 413 times! 15 members of illegal group in Kinmen Island were sentenced

The Kinmen investigation team boarded the boat to conduct a search. (Provided by Kinmen Investigation Team)

The Kinmen Investigation Team of the Coast Guard Investigation and Prevention Branch stated today that the "Main Suspect Group surnamed Fang", which has long been engaged in illegal cross-strait direct flights from Lieyu Township, was suspected of using recreational fishing as a cover to illegally direct flights to Wuyu, Jiaoyu and Weitou Port in Fujian Province, China since 2023. The whole case was seized. Fifteen people were transferred in violation of the Ordinance on Relations between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. Fifteen people have been sentenced in the first instance. Among them, the main suspect named Fang was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months for 82 counts. Another core member, Fang, was sentenced to 77 counts and sentenced to 5 years and 5 months. Suspect Xu was sentenced to 5 years and 2 months for 74 counts. The entire case is under investigation.

The investigation team pointed out that on August 20, the task force used search tickets to seize three ships, including the "Kim Zhengpai", "Shunshui 99" and "Kim Tanji". They successively arrested and summoned 23 people including the main suspect and crew members to the case. A total of 21 people and 25 cases were transferred. There were 413 illegal cross-border direct voyages to China, and 15 people have been convicted in the first instance.

The investigation team pointed out that in the past, illegal direct flights to China were all sentenced in a single case. This is the first time that a group has been severely sentenced and the ship has been seized and auctioned. It is the first case in Kinmen.

The investigation team pointed out that most of the people involved in the case used excuses such as "simply going out for fishing and not knowing that they had crossed the border" to evade responsibility. However, the task force dug out the details and used technology to restore the navigation trajectory. They also retrieved the entry and exit records of the vessels involved and conducted cross-references one by one. They laid out objective evidence in front of the suspects, exposing their lies and breaking through their defenses.

The investigation team pointed out that the entire case was transferred to the Kinmen District Prosecutor's Office for violation of the Ordinance on Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. The District Prosecutor's Office investigated and prosecuted in batches. The Kinmen District Court sentenced the main suspect Fang to 82 counts and 4 years and 3 months. The core member Fang Suspect 77 counts and 5 years and 5 months. Xu Suspect 74 counts and 5 years and 2 months. The entire case is still under investigation.

The Coast Guard emphasized that direct flights to the mainland without permission not only violate the "Regulations on Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area", but may also cause major risks to border security and epidemic prevention. The Coast Guard will continue to combine technological investigation and cross-agency cooperation to strictly investigate illegal border crossings. It also calls on the public to immediately call the Coast Guard's "118" toll-free hotline to report crimes if they find illegal activities.

People went to watch the foreclosure of the boat. (Provided by Kinmen Investigation Team)

The Kinmen Investigation Team went to relevant locations to search. (Provided by Kinmen Investigation Team)