Prosecutors request heavy sentences in smuggling case that led to death of 154 cats

Prosecutors in Kaohsiung City indicted nine men involved in an attempt to smuggle purebred cats into Taiwan, and recommended that four receive heavy sentences for masterminding the operation that led to the euthanizing of 154 felines. The four main suspects include a fishing company owner, Mr Cheng, 56, the owner of a pet breeding farm, named Lin, 42, a retired Coast Guard officer, named Chang, 50, and a friend of Chang’s, named Kuo, 49. The five other indictees consisted of

Read more

Animal lovers left stunned after learning 154 illegally imported cats already euthanized

Animal protection groups and animal lovers had just launched a campaign to rescue 154 cats seized in an anti-smuggling operation in recent days, but were left reeling when authorities announced the animals had already been euthanized according to the law, today, August 21. Taiwan Coast Guard Administration found the cats concealed on a fishing boat intercepted off the coast of Taiwan on Thursday. The 154 cats, believed to have originated from breeders in China, were made up of rare breeds

Read more

Coast guard intercepts cat smugglers off south Taiwan coast

The coast guard intercepted a fishing boat off the coast of Tainan City, Thursday, and found around 200 cats hidden on board the vessel. Kaohsiung Coast Guard Investigation Branch had been monitoring the vessel “Shun” via radar after it left Badouzi Fishing Port in northern Taiwan August 14 and found that the Shun made contact with a Chinese fishing boat off the Penghu Islands. The coast guard intercepted the boat around 8 nautical miles off the coast of Tainan City,

Read more

Gerbil smuggling operation intercepted in Kinmen County

A Taiwanese woman was intercepted entering the country from China via Kinmen today with 24 live gerbils wrapped in stockings and taped to her lower legs. Customs and Quarantine, along with Coast Guard officers, are currently vigorously inspecting people entering Taiwan via the “three links” in Kinmen County, in an attempt to prevent African Swine Flu spreading from China to Taiwan. Officers at the Shuitou Customs Clearance Center spotted a middle-aged woman with an unusual body-shape, acting suspiciously, and walking

Read more

Animal Smugglers Intercepted after Entering Taiwan via Kinmen

Three men were intercepted by Aviation police on Kinmen after entering Taiwan from China with exotic animals hidden in mesh stockings attached to their legs, then attempting to board a flight to Taipei, today, July 19. The Taiwanese nationals were found to be carrying a total of 68 individuals consisting of four species of rodents and birds. The contraband included 32 ground squirrels (Spermophilus), 20 Japanese White-eye (bird: Zosterops japonicus), 8 ferrets, and 8 unidentified birds. Aviation police at Kinmen

Read more