Taipei, Taiwan — January 23, 2026 — Authorities in Taipei have dismantled a large-scale underground foreign prostitution operation, arresting dozens of suspects in a coordinated raid led by police, immigration officials, and military police.
According to the Taipei City Police Department, a Myanmar-born woman surnamed Li, who later obtained Taiwanese citizenship through marriage, and her former Taiwanese boyfriend, surnamed Zhong, were allegedly operating an illegal foreign escort network. The couple had previously been arrested two years ago, but investigators said they secretly rebuilt and expanded their operations after the earlier crackdown.
Following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering, police launched a major operation on the evening of January 21, targeting multiple locations including the well-known Diamond Building and nearby areas along Xichang Street and Kangding Road in Taipei. Officers arrested nine suspects, including Li, Zhong, and their staff, along with 34 women involved in prostitution and three male clients. Authorities also seized surveillance equipment, mobile phones, condoms, and lubricants as evidence.
Police said Li, 44, arrived in Taiwan around 15 years ago through marriage, later divorced, and subsequently partnered with Zhong, 39. The two reportedly had an on-and-off romantic relationship before becoming business partners in the illegal sex trade. Their operation was first exposed in July 2023, but investigators said they exploited changes in the local criminal landscape to reestablish and expand their business.
Investigators revealed that the suspects worked with human trafficking networks in Thailand and Taiwan to recruit young Thai women to enter Taiwan on tourist visas and engage in prostitution. Of the 34 women detained, 33 were Thai nationals and one was Taiwanese. Two Thai women had overstayed their visas, allegedly in hopes of earning more money.
Li, Zhong, and their associates were transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on charges related to public morality offenses. Authorities said they will continue tracing and prosecuting the human trafficking syndicates behind the operation. The three male clients and the Taiwanese woman involved in prostitution were penalized under social order laws, while the 33 foreign women were turned over to immigration authorities for detention and eventual deportation.
Police emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and warned that law enforcement will continue to crack down on illegal prostitution and human trafficking networks across the city.