Chinese mainland police on Friday extradited 25 criminal
suspects of Taiwan origin back to the island, the largest mass
deportation from the mainland in one day.
The suspects, wanted by Taiwan police, were transported on a
ship from Mawei, in the southeastern province of Fujian, to Matsu
island in the Taiwan Strait, said a source with the border police
in Fujian.
The deportation came one day after the return of Li Hanyang, who
is accused of stealing 56 million New Taiwan dollars (US$1.75
million) from a Taipei bank security van.
Police captured Li in Yunnan on Jan. 9, together with his
brother, who was accused of aiding and abetting Li to escape police
custody.
The two were deported to Taiwan.
According to Taiwan media, 17 of the 25 suspects were charged
with racketeering, four face drugs charges and the remainder face
charges of murder and smuggling.
Police on the mainland have returned 123 criminal suspects to
Taiwan since 2000, according to the Ministry of Public
Security.
Ministry spokesman Wu Heping said mainland police would
safeguard the legitimate rights of people on both sides of the
Taiwan Strait.
Wu said the mainland police would make every effort to arrest
and return Taiwan criminal suspects who flee to the mainland.
(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)