Buddhist Goods Seller Threatens Netizens with Gun on Live Stream, Police Seize Assault Rifle

The Taichung City Police Department, while conducting routine online patrol duties, discovered that a man surnamed Jiang, who trades in Buddhist ritual items, openly displayed a highly lethal firearm during a live broadcast from inside his vehicle on a personal social‑media platform, and uttered threatening remarks on camera. After the incident spread online and drew heightened police attention, the local police promptly formed a special task force to investigate. Through extensive technical surveillance and big‑data analysis, officers quickly pinpointed Jiang’s whereabouts and hideout, and, upon securing concrete evidence, moved to arrest Jiang along with a co‑suspect surnamed Xu.

During the operation, police not only detained the suspects for interrogation but also searched the suspect’s vehicle and residence, seizing a powerful submachine gun and related ammunition as evidence. The presence of these weapons poses a serious threat to public safety and illustrates how some criminals use emerging channels such as live streaming to flaunt or intimidate. After confiscating the key evidence, the case was charged under the Weapons and Ammunition Control Act and for public intimidation, and the Jiang and Xu suspects were forwarded to the Taichung District Prosecutors Office for further investigation.

Following the transfer, prosecutors conducted a thorough re‑examination of the case, clarifying the source and distribution of the firearms and Jiang’s exact motive for brandishing the gun during the livestream. Because Jiang faces a serious offense and possessed a highly dangerous weapon, there were concerns he might tamper with evidence, destroy evidence, or repeat the crime. After questioning, the prosecutor deemed the suspicion of criminal activity substantial and immediately applied to the Taichung District Court for detention without visitation rights. The court approved the request, ordering Jiang’s detention without visitation. As for co‑suspect Xu, police discovered that he was already subject to a separate warrant or had a finalized sentence from another judicial authority; after completing the necessary records, he was transferred to prison for execution of that sentence.

In recent years, the rapid development of the internet and social‑media platforms has turned live‑streaming services into a major avenue for everyday entertainment and commercial marketing, but they have also been increasingly exploited by unlawful actors. Many perpetrators mistakenly believe the online realm offers anonymity or immediacy, leading them to disregard the law by displaying prohibited items, committing violent acts, or issuing threats on camera. Such conduct not only causes psychological distress to viewers but also seriously challenges social order and the limits of state authority. The swift identification of this illegal activity by Taichung police through online patrol demonstrates law‑enforcement’s zero‑tolerance stance toward cybercrime and illicit behavior in virtual spaces, and underscores ongoing efforts to strengthen digital surveillance.

The proliferation of firearms has long been a top priority for public‑security agencies, as illegal weapons are often linked to organized crime, violent debt collection, drug trafficking, and other deep‑rooted social problems. Taiwan’s Weapons and Ammunition Control Act imposes severe penalties: possession, manufacture, or sale of regulated firearms carries a minimum of five years’ imprisonment, in addition to hefty fines. This case reaffirms police determination to conduct vigorous anti‑organized‑crime and gun‑control operations, and serves as a reminder that individuals cannot evade legal repercussions by secretly possessing weapons or using the internet to intimidate. The public is urged to report any suspicious illegal activity to authorities, helping to safeguard community safety and stability.

(Source: Central News Agency)