'Sunflower Queen' Liu Chiao-an Arrested in US, Deported Back to Taiwan

According to a report from CNA Central News Agency correspondent Yeh Chen at Taoyuan Airport on the 4th, Liu Chiao-an, known as the 'Sunflower Queen,' was wanted for drug and other cases and had fled to the United States. She was arrested in the US last January and was escorted back to Taiwan today. CIB officers took over at Taoyuan International Airport, and she will be sent to the CIB for questioning before being transferred to the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) stated that in 2019, Liu, knowing she was about to be wanted for embezzlement, forfeited her bail and fled to the US. During her stay in the US, she continued to be involved in several drug cases and is currently wanted by five district prosecutors' offices in Taiwan.

The CIB said that a special task force was formed to track her down, continuously cooperating with US agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Through intelligence sharing between Taiwan and the US, HSI and ERO successfully arrested Liu at a hotel in Boston, USA, on January 22 last year, based on intelligence provided by Taiwan. She was then held at an ERO detention center.

The CIB stated that after Liu was detained, the CIB's liaison groups in the Western and Eastern US worked together, closely monitoring Liu's appeal situation in the US while continuously coordinating with ERO on deportation procedures. After administrative and judicial processes, Liu was finally escorted back to Taiwan today by the liaison groups together with ERO enforcement officers.

Liu and the police officers arrived at Taoyuan International Airport from San Francisco on United Airlines flight UA871 at nearly 7 PM today. CIB officers arrested her upon disembarkation. She will first be taken to the CIB for questioning and then transferred to the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office.

The CIB stated that the entire case, from Taiwan providing intelligence, the US executing the arrest, to the joint completion of the deportation, took over a year, fully demonstrating the depth and effectiveness of US-Taiwan law enforcement cooperation. It pledged to continue resolutely pursuing justice through international police cooperation, intelligence exchange, and joint law enforcement. (Editor: Hsiao Po-wen) 1150604

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