Chinese mainland police on Friday extradited 25 criminal suspects of Taiwan origin back to the island, the largest mass deportation from the mainland in one day.

The suspects, wanted by Taiwan police, were transported on a ship from Mawei, in the southeastern province of Fujian, to Matsu island in the Taiwan Strait, said a source with the border police in Fujian.

The deportation came one day after the return of Li Hanyang, who is accused of stealing 56 million New Taiwan dollars (US$1.75 million) from a Taipei bank security van.

Police captured Li in Yunnan on Jan. 9, together with his brother, who was accused of aiding and abetting Li to escape police custody.

The two were deported to Taiwan.

According to Taiwan media, 17 of the 25 suspects were charged with racketeering, four face drugs charges and the remainder face charges of murder and smuggling.

Police on the mainland have returned 123 criminal suspects to Taiwan since 2000, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Ministry spokesman Wu Heping said mainland police would safeguard the legitimate rights of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Wu said the mainland police would make every effort to arrest and return Taiwan criminal suspects who flee to the mainland.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)