David on Formosa

This report from today’s Taipei Times reveals that betel nut is the key to solving a crime in the south of Taiwan.

Taiwan Railway’s Southern Link Line between Taitung and Kaohsiung was damaged for the third time in four months yesterday, and police say they are examining evidence left at the scene of each incident, including water bottles, plastic cups and a piece of chewed betel nut.

Apparently police conducted DNA tests on the said piece of betel nut. The perpetrators of the crime remain at large. However, they might think twice before they chew their next piece of betel nut!