Prosecutors seize assets of Ting Hsin's former chairman

Want China Times, CNA 2014-10-16

Luxury apartments in Taipei, Oct. 15. (File photo/CNA)

Prosecutors on Wednesday seized three luxury apartment units as well as other assets owned by Wei Ying-chung, who recently resigned as chairman of Ting Hsin International Group, the conglomerate at the center of Taiwan's latest food scare.

Wei's assets–stocks, bank accounts, apartments in the upscale 'Palace' complex in Taipei and other real estate–were seized to prevent him from getting rid of them, prosecutors said.

Wei is under investigation in Taipei, Changhua, Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung amid a snowballing food safety scandal involving the Ting Hsin group, which is owned by Wei and his family.

Investigators were worried that the family would move their assets to China to avoid having them frozen in Taiwan, pending an investigation into irregularities at edible oil plants operated by Ting Hsin subsidiaries.

A top executive of Ting Hsin Oil & Fat and another two from Cheng I Food, two of the subsidiary companies, were detained by prosecutors Tuesday in connection with the recent food safety scandal.

The two companies are accused of using lard meant for use in animal feed in their edible oil products.

The incident–the third cooking oil-related scandal to hit the conglomerate within a year–has sparked widespread outrage among consumers in Taiwan, leading to a public boycott of the group's products and brands.

Wei Ying-chung in a police car on the way to a detention

center, Changhua, Oct. 17. (Photo/CNA)

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