Chinese mainland police yesterday deported a Taiwan man, Lee Han-yang, accused of stealing funds from a Taipei bank security van, said the Ministry of Public Security. Lee's alleged accomplice, his brother Lee Chin-chan who lives on the mainland, was also escorted to Taiwan, in line with an agreement between the two sides.

Authorities allege Lee Han-yang, who worked as an armored vehicle driver in Taipei, stole NT$56 million (US$1.75 million) after drugging a colleague in the van on January 2.

The ministry said Lee's van was carrying NT$79.2 million to a bank on January 2. On the way, Lee allegedly drugged his colleague, transferred NT$56 million dollars to another car and then drove to Taoyuan International Airport.

He gave the money to a man on his way to the airport, and then flew to Hong Kong with NT$200,000, authorities said.

On January 5, mainland police were informed that Lee Han-yang had crossed the border into neighboring Guangdong Province to meet his brother Lee Chin-chan. The two fled to Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province the next day and hid in an apartment.

Police captured Lee Han-yang in Yunnan on January 9, together with his brother, accused of aiding and abetting him to escape police custody.

Police on the Chinese mainland have returned 123 criminal suspects to Taiwan since 2000, the MPS said on Tuesday.

(Shanghai Daily January 26, 2007)