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

February 29, 2024February 29, 2024 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment drug smuggling, drug trafficking, Taoyuan International Airport

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

Fire

February 21, 2024February 21, 2024 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment factory fire, New Taipei City, tech-industry

Residents of Taipei City and New Taipei City were affected by air pollution from a factory fire in Shenkeng District overnight and this morning, leading to the mayors of the twin cities to advise residents to stay indoors and wear masks when going out. According to the New Taipei City Fire Department, a fire broke out at the warehouse of a tech company on Beishen Road in Shenkeng District at around 2:00 pm yesterday, February 20. The fire department dispatched

pictures of baby who died of suspected suffocation

Health and Safety

January 24, 2024January 24, 2024 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment New Taipei City, surgical masks, virus mania

Police are investigating the death of an eleven-month-old boy who is suspected to have suffocated to death after being forced to wear a facemask against his will at a childcare center in New Taipei City, Monday. “Tonight, a cute baby returned to heaven to be an angel. I feel extremely heavy-hearted,” CTS news anchor Lin Yen-ju (林彥汝) posted on Facebook last night, Tuesday, after receiving the news from a personal friend, who is also the boy’s maternal aunt. According to

bulging pockets of petty thief pocketing turtles

Animals Odd News

January 22, 2024January 22, 2024 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment pets, petty thief, Tainan City, turtles

A shoplifter was caught red-handed after stuffing a total of 14 small turtles in his pockets at an aquarium store in Tainan City yesterday, Sunday, January 21. At around 4:00pm, a store clerk at an aquarium shop in Anping District noticed a small turtle fall out of a customer’s bulging trouser pocket, and suspecting the man was attempting to shoplift, immediately called the police. Police from the nearby Huaping Police Station rushed to the aquarium shop and confronted the 57-year-old

Tai Tzu-ying wins at Indian open badminton

Sport

January 22, 2024January 22, 2024 Lyon Chiang 0 Comment badminton, sports, Tai Tzu-ying

Lyon Chiang: Taipei In the opening two tournaments of the new season, Taiwan’s badminton “queen,” Tai Tzu-ying, reached the finals on both occasions. Yesterday, she secured her first championship of the season at the India Open. Overcoming a 6-point deficit in the first game, she ultimately defeated her formidable opponent, Chen Yufei, ranked 2nd in the world, with a score of 21-16, 21-12. This marked her first appearance in the final of the India Open, and she clinched the gold

Sport

December 29, 2023December 29, 2023 Guest Commentary 0 Comment Yang Yung-wei

by Lyon Chiang The Best Male Athlete, the highlight of the Sports Elite Awards, was awarded to Yang Yung-wei (楊勇緯), the “Judo Prince” who secured Taiwan’s 100th gold in Asian Games history. He also became the first athlete in the history of the Elite Awards to achieve a three-peat. Since 2015, the Elite Awards have consisted of eight categories. In the Best Male Athlete category, gymnast “Parallel Bars Prince” Lee Chih-kai won consecutively in 2018 and 2019, while Yang Yung-wei

Violent Crimes

December 27, 2023December 27, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment homicide, knife-attack, murder, New Taipei City, school violence, Tucheng District

A 15-year-old student who was brutally stabbed by a fellow student at a New Taipei City high school on Christmas day has died, and serious questions about campus safety have been raised, after it was found that the alleged killer had a history of violence and gang affiliations. According to reports, during the lunchbreak on Monday, December 25, a third-year female student at a junior high school in Tucheng District went to a classroom to chat with another female student.

Military Affairs

December 26, 2023December 26, 2023 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment navy, ROC Navy, submarines

Taiwan navy officials revealed details of the events leading to six crew members falling overboard from the deck of a submarine, December 21, as a search for three of the crew who remain missing entered the sixth day, today, Tuesday, December 26. Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Wu Li-ping said at a press briefing today that the crew of the Hai Hu (Sea Tiger) submarine were on a training mission in waters off the southwestern coast of Taiwan, December

wrecked vehicles after fatal freeway crash

Traffic Accidents

December 19, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment freeway accident, Nantou County, national highway, Zhushan Township

Three people died and one was seriously injured after a car overturned, causing an accident involving four vehicles, on National Highway 1 in Nantou County, yesterday, Monday, December 18. Nantou County Fire Department responded to reports of an accident at the 246.9 kilometer mark in the northbound lanes in Zhushan Township at around 10:30 pm. First responders found the body of a woman named Hsieh on the road. Hsieh was obviously dead after being thrown out of the car and

oil spill in foreground, stranded ship in background

Marine and Fisheries

December 18, 2023December 18, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment oil spill, Penghu Islands, ship aground, Taiwan Strait

Coast guard and environmental protection agency personnel are cleaning up and attempting to prevent spreading of an oil spill after a 499-ton cargo ship ran aground on Jibei Island in the Penghu archipelago. According to Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, the Cameroonian-flagged general cargo ship, Hai Shou, en route from the Port of Kaohsiung to Busan, Korea, lost power and began drifting on Saturday, December 16. Attempts were made to anchor the ship, but strong winds caused the ship to continue

search and rescue personnel in wilderness

Breaking News

November 28, 2023November 28, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Central Mountain Range, Pingtung County, search and rescue

Update: Couple found during air search. Airlifted to hospital for a medical check-up. Pingtung County, Taiwan – A search and rescue operation is underway in a remote mountain district of Pingtung County, after a French couple hiking in the area reported that they were lost two days ago. The Pingtung County Fire Department received a distress call from a 38-year old man, and a 30-year-old woman at 9:30 am, November 26. The couple reported that they had entered the Wutai

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

Tech factory fire causes stench over large areas of Taipei

Baby boy suspected of suffocating to death after daycare center forces him to wear facemask

Is that a turtle in your pocket? No Sir, It’s fourteen turtles!

Taiwan badminton star clinches gold at India Open

Taiwan’s “Judo Prince” wins Best Athlete award for third year running

Junior high school student dies after school stabbing: gang-connected killer had a history of violent assault

Taiwan Navy releases details of submarine accident: search for 3 missing sailors continues

Family of 3 killed in horrific freeway crash

Cargo ship aground and leaking oil in Penghu Islands

Search for French couple lost in Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range enters 3rd day