Drugs

Australian woman charged after airport customs finds large quantity of heroin in suitcase

handcuffed suspect led by police
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A 60-year-old Australian woman has been charged for attempting to smuggle nearly 7 kilograms of heroin into Taiwan via Taoyuan International Airport. Taiwan’s Aviation Police Bureau announced today that the woman was arrested at Taoyuan International Airport in December 2023 when customs officers found a package containing 6.926 kilograms of heroin in her suitcase. According to the police press release, customs officers spotted abnormalities in the suitcase during an X-ray inspection of inbound luggage. Customs officers waited until the woman

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Drug syndicate disguises drug mules as monks: Fake monks arrested at airports in Taiwan and Japan

monks costume and drugs as evidence in drug smuggling investigation
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A transnational drug trafficking group disguised drug smugglers as monks in an attempt to thwart airport security, but two of the fake monks have been arrested at airports in Taiwan and Japan. According to an investigation by the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office, a 25-year-old Taiwanese man named Liu Jingting was recruited by a drug syndicate to smuggle ketamine from Cambodia to Taiwan in September 2023. Liu Jingting was accompanied by two members of the group, Xu and Gao, who acted

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Biggest amphetamine smuggling bust in Taiwan history: 1.4 ton drug haul intercepted at Port of Kaohsiung

shipment of amphetamines at Port of Kaohsiung
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

Eight people have been arrested in connection with a 1.4 ton haul of amphetamine and ketamine intercepted at the Port of Kaohsiung in what police described as the biggest amphetamine smuggling operation bust in Taiwan’s history. According to information released at a press briefing yesterday, November 15, the Criminal Investigation Bureau received intelligence in February this year that drug traffickers were planning to smuggle a large quantity of drugs using cargo ships berthing at the Port of Kaohsiung. After long-term

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Police seize biggest haul of domestically manufactured meth in Taiwan history

police swat team raids illicit drug factory
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau conducted a two-year-long investigation, culminating in a raid on a drug manufacturing facility in Nantou County that netted the largest single haul of domestically-produced methamphetamine in the country’s history. The investigation was instigated by the Pingtung District Prosecutor’s Office, and involved the joint efforts of a team from Taichung City, Changhua City, and Kaohsiung City police departments. According to the investigation, a 32-year-old man, named Lee, financed the operation. Lee employed a 30-year-old man, named Lu,

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Amphetamine factory raided in Kaohsiung City

police raid drug making operation in Kaohsiung City
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Police arrested three people after raiding a large-scale amphetamine manufacturing operation in Kaohsiung City that contained enough drug material to make an estimated NT$56 million worth of methamphetamine. According to reports in United Daily News, and Liberty Times, police began an investigation after a tip-off and found that a man, named Zhang rented a shed in an isolated area beside the Qieyu Wetland Park in January this year. Zhang and two other suspects are alleged to have purchased 200,000 cold

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456 KG: Biggest marijuana smuggling bust in Taiwan’s history

cannabis haul on display
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

Police and customs officials intercepted a 456 kilogram haul of marijuana hidden in a shipment of wood pellets imported from Canada earlier this year, it was revealed at a press conference today, following a 6-month-long investigation, and the arrest of six men suspect to be involved in the operation. Officers of the National Police Agency Third Special Police Corps in cooperation with the Keelung Customs Bureau and Bali Customs Inspection Station inspected a shipment of multi-purpose wood pellets imported from

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Breaking Bad: chemistry prof used university lab, students, to operate “one-stop test shop” for Taiwanese drug syndicate

Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

An assistant professor and post-doctoral researcher has been prosecuted for using a university chemistry laboratory with advanced equipment, and having students unknowingly assist in testing imported and locally manufactured illicit drugs for purity, on behalf of a Taiwanese narcotrafficker. Zhang Enming (張恩銘), 44, was charged by the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office for manufacturing category 3 drugs and other crimes following an investigation into a drug manufacturing operation uncovered in Yilan County in early 2021. According to reports, Zhang, a former

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Driver high on laughing gas leads police on slow-speed chase in Taoyuan City

composite image showing laughing gas, nitrous oxide cylinder and car being driven on sidewalk
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A man who was seen inhaling laughing gas while driving refused to stop, and led police on a chase in Taoyuan City yesterday, February 19. Taoyuan City Police Department received a report at 2:50 pm that a man was seen sucking on a balloon, and suspected to be inhaling laughing gas while driving a white Mercedes Benz erratically in Taoyuan District. When police attempted to pull the driver over, the man, named Lu, refused to stop. Lu continued to drive

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Man arrested for selling Jesus-brand flavored laughing gas

composite image of Jesus Balloon Shop ad and laughing gas bottles being seized by police
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A 31-year-old man was arrested and 137 cylinders of nitrous oxide were seized in New Taipei City, following an investigation into laughing gas being sold under the brand, “Jesus Balloon Shop.” The New Taipei City Police Criminal Investigation Corps began an investigation after finding an internet user advertising flavored laughing gas on social media sites at a price of NT$4,500 per bottle. Flavors advertised included cola, sarsaparilla grape, mango, and honeydew melon. Police investigators traced the posts to a man

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Police student sentenced to 5-year prison term for importing marijuana

Central Police University and cannabis composite image
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , ,

A student of Taiwan’s Central Police University who was expelled and charged for importing marijuana by mail was handed a 5-year prison term by the Taoyuan District Court, today, January 27. According to an investigation by the Taoyuan District Prosecutor’s Office, the 20-year-old man, named Hsu, in collusion with a person identified only with the nickname “Duck,” conspired to import 200 grams of marijuana with the delivery address being Hsu’s home in Taoyuan District. On August 5, Taipei Customs officers

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Cannabis grow ops busted in New Taipei City, Changhua City

cannabis
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments , , ,

Police from Taoyuan City launched raids in two separate municipalities, uncovering marijuana growing operations in New Taipei City and Changhua City, Friday, January 21, and Saturday, January 22. Police from Zhongli Branch of Taoyuan City Police Bureau coordinated with police from Shulin Branch of New Taipei City and Keelung Port Police Corps to conduct a pre-dawn raid on a house in Shulin District, New Taipei City yesterday, January 21. The raid uncovered 686 live cannabis plants, and 15 kilograms of

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