MJIB Arrests and Escorts Back Chief Suspect Lien *-chen from Thailand Following Cross-border Drug Hunt

Cross-border law enforcement cooperation between Taiwan and Thailand attains yet another milestone! In cooperation with Thai law enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau arrested and escorted the wanted drug criminal Lien *-chen from Bangkok, Thailand, back to Taiwan on June 13.

In February 2023, a man surnamed Lien, together with members of a drug trafficking group, attempted to smuggle 8.65 kilograms of methamphetamine from Thailand into Taiwan by concealing the drugs in imported goods. Following their seizure in May 2023 by the Taoyuan City Field Division of the Investigation Bureau (hereinafter referred to as the Taoyuan City Field Division), Lien and his accomplices were transferred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutor's Office, Taiwan for investigation. However, as Lien *-chen had already fled the country as early as February 2023, the Taoyuan District Prosecutor's Office issued a wanted notice for Lien on February 7, 2024.

After the Legal Attaché of the MJIB in Thailand requested Thai law enforcement agencies to assist in the pursuit and Thai authorities gathered information on Lien’s whereabouts, Lien was finally arrested in Bangkok on December 21, 2023 and detained at the Immigration Detention Center of the Thai Immigration Bureau. However, as Lien is suspected of being involved in other cases in Thailand and is wanted for involvement in multiple cases in Taiwan, he initially refused to cooperate and return to Taiwan to face justice, attempting to delay the repatriation process. After multi-party coordination with the MJIB Legal Attaché in Thailand, the immigration secretary of the National Immigration Agency in Thailand, and Thai law enforcement agencies, on June 13, 2024 Lien was finally successfully escorted to Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, to which the MJIB dispatched officers to perform escort missions. Lien *-chen boarded a China Airlines flight and arrived at Taoyuan International Airport at 3:40 pm. He was picked up by the Taoyuan City Field Division and escorted to the Taoyuan District Attorney's Office for prosecution. This case fully demonstrates the MJIB's determination and perseverance in pursuing wanted fugitives and fighting against drug crimes.