Tai Shan Executives Detained Amid Food Safety Probe

Tai Shan's former and current general managers, Shen Yi-chun and Tsai Kuo-liang, have been detained and forbidden from contacting anyone by the Taichung District Court. The court's decision follows an investigation into the presence of a carcinogen in cooking oil produced by the company.

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The court found significant suspicion that the two defendants violated the Food Safety and Sanitation Act. Based on the evidence presented by the prosecution, while it is difficult to determine if the defendants have a risk of fleeing, the communication records and screenshots show that employees under their charge did delete messages and screenshots as evidence of tampering.

Authorities cited significant evidence suggesting the executives are involved in violating the Food Safety and Sanitation Act. While not deemed a flight risk, the court found a high probability of them tampering with evidence and colluding with others. This conclusion was based on communication records, including deleted messages and screenshots, indicating that employees under their direction had indeed destroyed evidence. Furthermore, the executives' mutual blame-shifting during the handover of their duties and their conversations before and after the incident raised concerns about potential collusion.

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The defendants have shifted blame for their duties to each other, and their conversations before and after the incident show a risk of collusion. After obtaining physical evidence through the search, it was discovered that other important witnesses or accomplices have not yet appeared.

The court emphasized the ongoing nature of the investigation, noting that other important witnesses or accomplices have yet to be identified. Given the large scale of the company, its numerous employees, and the profound impact on public food safety and consumer rights, the court ruled that detention was necessary and proportionate. Alternative measures like bail or restrictions on residence were deemed insufficient to mitigate the risks of evidence tampering and collusion.

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Considering that the investigation is in a dynamic stage, there are facts that lead to the conclusion that the defendants have the risk of collusion and tampering with evidence.