The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it was attempting to locate a Taiwanese traveler to Thailand reportedly being held for ransom by a criminal gang in Myanmar.
Taoyuan police said that the 27-year-old man, surnamed Hsieh (謝), last contacted his family on Wednesday last week.
Hsieh asked his family for several tens of thousands of US dollars, telling them he was being held for ransom and forced to commit telecommunications fraud, police said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Based on phone data, Hsieh’s last known location was in Myanmar, police added.
Hsieh’s family reported him missing to Taiwan’s representative office in Myanmar on Friday last week, the ministry said.
The minstry said it is trying to locate Hsieh “via the available channels” based on the last known location of his phone and contact information provided by his family.
Police said they had listed the disappearance of Hsieh, a professional fire dancer, as a major criminal case.
Authorities warned Taiwanese nationals visiting Southeast Asia to be on high alert amid a rising number of reports of people being forced to work for criminal gangs in Myanmar.
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