Prosecutors in Taoyuan have charged nine operators with illegally burying waste at an army training base, a case that ties environmental crime to national defense sites and puts a large illegal profit at risk of seizure.

• Nine businessmen were charged, and prosecutors are asking the court to confiscate more than NT$1.3 billion in illegal gains.
• A company hauling rock and soil for the military used the job to dump waste at the Hukou training ground, claiming it was recycled roadbed material for truck access.
• Fake purchase contracts with several firms were used to make the dumping look like a legitimate sale of recycled material, while the operators collected high disposal fees.
• Digging at the site turned up broken bricks, plastic, waste wire, and styrofoam mixed into the roadway, raising safety concerns for army training there.
• The main suspect was detained over fears he would destroy evidence or coordinate stories with others; the rest posted bail.

Outlook: The companies and the military testing center must submit cleanup plans and pay for restoring the site while the case moves to trial.