Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company said Tuesday it had discovered “unauthorized activities” of employees suspecting of stealing trade secrets related to its advanced computer chips.

Three Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. employees were taken into custody Tuesday after company officials detected "unauthorized activities" and a leak of its trade secrets related to "core technologies.

Taiwan prosecutors arrested six people suspected of stealing trade secrets from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., opening an investigation into a potential breach of national security involving a global tech industry linchpin.