Paraguayan police have arrested 80 Taiwanese nationals in connection with an illegal online gambling website. Police found the Taiwanese nationals living in poor conditions in the city of Ciudad del Este and suspect that they are the victims of exploitation.
On Friday, foreign ministry spokesperson Anna Kao confirmed the arrests and said that Taiwan’s consulate in Ciudad del Este is in contact with local authorities.
"Our consulate-general in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay contacted local police as soon as we were notified of the incident," said Kao.
"The consulate has confirmed that these people are Taiwanese nationals, and consulate staff went immediately to visit them. The consulate will continue to remain in close contact with local police in order to guarantee the rights of our citizens," she said.
Kao said that since the investigation into the alleged illegal gambling operation is still ongoing, the foreign ministry cannot reveal any details of the case. However, Kao said that the foreign ministry will offer the Taiwanese nationals any assistance necessary.