Taiwan prosecutors have charged a private investigation crew with spying on a sitting lawmaker and his family for pay from Hong Kong clients — a sign that political intimidation in Taiwan now runs through hired local operators.

• Taipei prosecutors charged four private investigators with 24-hour surveillance of DPP lawmaker Puma Shen, his wife and daughter, and asked for 18 months in prison for the ringleader.
• The crew was allegedly paid the equivalent of a modest sum by two Hong Kong men, who are now wanted by police.
• Shen, running for Taipei mayor, says he has been targeted by China since before entering politics, because of his earlier work on civil defense and national security.
• He believes he is not the only person being watched and is tightening security around his family.
• When he first revealed the tailing, politicians and online influencers insisted it was only a dashcam — an attack he calls a cover for Beijing.

Outlook: Shen expects more cases to surface as investigations continue, with security and Chinese pressure likely to shape the Taipei mayoral race.