By Huang, Chia-lu — Commissioner, Criminal Investigation Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan)
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged much of the globe. In mid-May 2021, the Republic of China (Taiwan) saw a sudden rise in case numbers. When Taiwan needed help the most, partners such as the United States, Japan, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland, as well as the COVAX Facility, immediately pledged to donate or provided vaccines to Taiwan, allowing Taiwan to gradually bring the pandemic back under control. This is a testament to the international joint efforts to tackle the serious challenges brought about by the pandemic. The same joint efforts will be needed to address growing international cybercrimes in the post-pandemic era, and Taiwan is willing to be part of that effort.
Throughout the pandemic, Taiwan government agencies and private companies closely followed anti-pandemic policies to prevent cluster infections. People began working from home and schools adopted virtual learning. Consumers turned to e-commerce, and online food ordering and delivery service platforms flourished. The pandemic has led to these changes in our lives, and while it is sure to abate in the foreseeable future, the spread of cybertechnology will not. It has fundamentally altered the way we work, live, learn, and relax — resulting in an entirely new lifestyle.
However, our increased reliance on cybertechnology has also made it easier than ever for criminals to exploit security vulnerabilities to commit crimes. Thus, cybersecurity will be one of the most important issues in the post-pandemic era as it is essential to maintaining public safety worldwide.
As cybercrime transcends borders, victims, perpetrators, and crime scenes may be located in different countries. The most common cybercrime is telecom fraud, which utilizes the internet and other telecommunications technologies. Transnational cooperation is necessary to bring international crime rings to justice.
In 2020, Taiwan police used big data analytics to identify multiple Taiwan nationals who were suspected of establishing telecom fraud operations in Montenegro. Taiwan contacted Montenegro and proposed mutual legal assistance, enabling the Montenegrin Special State Prosecutor’s Office to move forward with the case. Through joint efforts, Taiwan and the Montenegrin police forces uncovered three telecom fraud operations and arrested 92 suspects accused of impersonating Chinese government officials, police, and prosecutors. It is believed that the suspects scammed more than 2,000 people in China, causing up to US$22.6 million in financial losses.
Taiwan police authorities have long strived to promote international cooperation in combating cross-border crime. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) under the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior has also established a Digital Forensics Lab that meets international standards. The laboratory was issued the world’s first ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for Windows Program Analysis by the Taiwan Accreditation Foundation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the fact that diseases transcend national borders and can affect anyone — regardless of skin color, ethnicity, language, or gender. Only when international partners provide mutual assistance and share anti-pandemic information, expertise, and vaccines can the world overcome the pandemic faster and successfully. In the same spirit, Taiwan urges the international community to support Taiwan’s bid to attend the INTERPOL’s General Assembly as an observer and participate in INTERPOL meetings, mechanisms, and training activities. Taiwan’s pragmatic and meaningful participation would help make the world a safer place for all.