Two indebted Hong Kong men were arrested in Taipei for allegedly working as money mules in a fraud ring, receiving a daily wage of NT$2,000 (approximately HK$500).
According to local media, the suspects -- both surnamed Chan and aged 30 and 34 -- arrived in Taiwan on January 8 and 10, respectively.
Their arrest follows a police investigation into a local investment scam involving tens of thousands of dollars.
Officers identified the duo through CCTV footage and arrested them at a hotel on Zhongxiao East Road in Taipei's Da'an District on January 14. A Taiwanese man surnamed Wang was also arrested at the scene.
During the operation, police seized 50 bank cards, one suspected e-cigarette cartridge, and a vaping device.
Investigations revealed that Wang was responsible for delivering the bank cards to the hotel, while the 30-year-old Chan set the PINs before handing them over to the 34-year-old Chan, who then withdrew funds from ATMs.
Both Hong Kong suspects claimed they were deeply in debt and came to Taiwan for the job after seeing the job advertisement on Facebook.
The 34-year-old stated he owed HK$600,000, while the specific amount for the 30-year-old was not disclosed.
All three suspects have been transferred to prosecutors on charges of fraud, violations of the Money Laundering Control Act, and drug-related offenses.
The investigation into the total amount of money withdrawn is ongoing.
