Taiwan's crackdown on dirty money ahead of November's local elections has netted hundreds of suspects and a large pile of seized cash and assets — bad news for vote-buying networks and underground finance, good news for election integrity.

• Prosecutors, police and investigators ran a nationwide sweep from mid-August to early September, cracking 212 cases involving 588 people.
• Seizures topped NT$900 million in cash and bank funds, plus USDT crypto, cars, phones, computers, property, luxury bags, watches and gold.
• 75 suspects were jailed pending trial and 229 released on bail, with charges including banking-law violations, money laundering and illegal gambling.
• The aim is to stop illicit cash from swaying the November 28 local elections, when mayors, councillors and other local officials are chosen.

Outlook: More sweeps are coming, with the next round focused on foreign money flowing into campaigns and on underground finance.