Prosecutors and Police Take Action in Cancer Oil Scandal! 11 Suspects Questioned, Zhonglian CEO Yu Ling-chong Detention Requested

The cancer oil scandal continues to escalate in Taiwan, prompting President Lai Qing-de to order strict enforcement. In response, prosecutors, tax investigators, and police swiftly launched a joint operation. On the 9th, Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office directed a special task force to conduct raids at six locations across four companies: Zhonglian Oils Co., Ltd. (hereinafter 'Zhonglian'), Fushou Industrial Co., Ltd. ('Fushou'), Fumao Oils Co., Ltd. ('Fumao'), and Taishan Enterprise Co., Ltd. ('Taishan'). Eleven high-level executives, including Yu Ling-chong, CEO of Zhonglian, and 13 witnesses were summoned for questioning to clarify the case.

In the early hours of the 10th, prosecutors requested pre-trial detention for Yu Ling-chong, citing substantial suspicion of involvement and risks of evidence destruction or collusion. The other ten executives from Zhonglian and related companies were released on bail ranging from NT$500,000 to NT$20 million.

On the 10th, the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office announced that the joint task force executed search warrants at six locations across the four companies—Zhonglian, Fushou, Fumao, and Taishan. Authorities seized equipment, relevant emails, meeting minutes, inspection reports, shipment records, production logs, import declarations, USB drives, mobile phones, oil storage tanks, and other tools and illicit gains related to the crime.

Prosecutors questioned 11 suspects, including Tsai ○-song (Chairman of Zhonglian), Yu ○-chong (CEO of Zhonglian), Chen ○-jung (Plant Manager), Chen ○-long (Deputy Head of Quality Research), Hung ○-kun (Chairman of Fushou), Chao ○-chiang (CEO of Fushou), Yen ○-hsuan (Manager), Huang ○-hao (Deputy Manager), Wu ○-cheng (Chairman of Fumao), Chang ○-pin (CEO of Fumao), and Liu ○-lung (Chairman of Taishan), along with 13 witnesses from the involved companies.

Prosecutors stated that all 11 suspects are heavily implicated in violations of Articles 1 and 2 of Article 49 of the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act. In particular, Yu Ling-chong, CEO of Zhonglian, has sufficient grounds to believe he may destroy, fabricate evidence, or collude with accomplices and witnesses, justifying detention. After interrogation, the prosecutor formally requested the court to detain him without visitation rights. The remaining ten suspects were ordered to post bail ranging from NT$500,000 to NT$20 million while awaiting trial.

Prosecutors will continue investigating the oil’s origins, production processes, inspection records, distribution channels, and the extent of personnel involvement across the companies to fully determine any violations of the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act and other criminal offenses. The prosecution emphasized that any party who knowingly or should have known that oil contains toxic or harmful substances, yet still stored, used, distributed, or sold it—or failed to immediately report to authorities or prevent harm—will be strictly prosecuted with no leniency.