Police in Taiwan have arrested six current and former BASF SE staff members over an alleged intellectual property theft for a Chinese company, according to an announcement by the Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB).
In a Jan. 7 statement, CIB official Lu Sung-hao said China's Jiangyin Jianghua Microelectronics Materials Co had offered the accused a large sum to "collect and steal electronic secrets, technologies and formulas" to help it set up an "electronic-grade chemical factory" in mainland China.
Specific information about any materials involved in the case has not been released.
According to a Bloomberg report, the accused were promised 40 million yuan ($5.8 million) for the technology theft. The report also said that only one of the arrested is still a BASF employee while the rest previously worked for the German chemical company.
In a statement on the same day, BASF said it was aware of the investigation by CIB and had suspended the employee.
"We have taken immediate steps to support the investigation led by local law enforcement officials and protect the relevant information," the company added.
