Two separate cases of mass imprisonment and extortion in Taipei
That’s both cruel and unusual… 
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So strange that this isn’t instantly broken up. I mean if my family member went for an interview, I’d make sure I knew the address and other details.
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Unfortunately, three other victims have been tortured to death.
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My god.
I mean, I know I sometimes overstate how safe Taiwan supposedly is … but this case is horrific and definitely has me reassessing the risks that are out there.
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Another news story says that a 38-year-old man fell to his death from 11th floor; a 45-year-old woman and a 58-year-old man died from chronical illnesses as they were denied medical treatment.
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Death penalty for those responsible. 
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Maybe it could be ensured they are locked up appropriately until that cheerful day comes.
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Taiwan News is all over this grim Tamsui / Taoyuan story, as of course they are:
Guy
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My first thought is that it would be horrific for a foreigner to fall in the clutches of such a horde of criminals. No family to be looking for you, many foreigners isolate themselves with no or few friends, or just live alone, no one knows your whereabouts. If this happens to locals with family here, I don’t want to think about what may happen to a foreigner. They could easily be killed, never found or identified.
A foreigner, depending on the place of origin, might be a bit more suspicious, but still easily overpowered and held captive. Also, as you said, we let our guard down because of the “safety”.
A foreign friend was looking for a job and was held several hours by people threatening her to buy their products or they would call the police on her. Got away thanks to a timely call of one of her teachers. They were advertising themselves not as sales but office job and we’re actually more of a pyramid scheme, to use gentle words.
I told her to press charges. She refused, scared by this mafia.
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Would we be particularly vulnerable? Not that we’re untouchable or anything, but with the language barrier, I don’t think most of us would provide anything a gang like this would want.
Sort of like how most scam calls apparently just hang up when they hear me answer in English.
My fears are more on behalf of students or locals I know.
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Indeed. Younger local folk worry me a lot, with predatory teachers, predatory laobans, etc. But they may have family as backup.
I remember a couple of cases of young foreigners just vanishing into thin air. A mafiosi group engaged in let’s say phone scams could use/abuse a foreigner if/for as long as it fits their plans.
If you think about the semi barely not so legal ways SEA workers are held, locked in metal sheds and other horrific conditions, the scammers could grab anyone who they might need, take them up the mountains and hide there without anyone being the wiser. Foreign or local.
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A few years ago I had a bunch of gangsters spotting me. It was in a public place and it seemed fairly routine for them. One regularly tried to confront me but I steamrolled him. Another would sit down the end of the center and talk with the third.
It eventually got to the point the main guy said “no way. We’d have to kill him and if we didn’t he’d probably kill us.”
After that I never saw them again. Although a few weeks later someone tried to cause trouble for me and then claimed I assaulted them. There were too many witnesses so nothing ever happened. I always wondered if the two were connected and still cross paths with the police superintendent that threatened to charge the guy for making a false complaint.
I also had some Korean guys trying to cause trouble for me. They got booted though from what I understand.
45-year-old man surnamed Chang (張), his 40-year-old wife surnamed Chen (陳) and three other suspects had allegedly lured the three victims to an apartment where they were held, by offering to rent their bank accounts for NT$200,000 each.
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/06/02/2003800875
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