marijuana

Marijuana growing bust in southern Taiwan breaks national record

cannabis plants growing in a greenhouse in Taiwan
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

Prosecutors in Yunlin County arrested five suspects after busting a marijuana growing operation they said is the biggest ever uncovered in the country’s history, it was announced today, December 4. According to a press release from the Yunlin County Special Task Force, Yunlin County police received a tip-off in May this year that a man named Tsai was involved in cultivating marijuana in a mountain district of Tainan City. Police from Yunlin, Tainan, Nantou, Changhua, and Chiayi were involved in

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Marijuana grow op busted: 780 plants in three locations in central Taiwan

Police officer among marijuana plants
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan criminal investigators busted a marijuana grow op, confiscating 780 plants and 65 kilograms of dried cannabis at three locations in central Taiwan, in what is described as a sophisticated operation producing A-grade quality marijuana. According to a press release, the Telecommunications Investigation Team of the Criminal Investigation Bureau began an investigation after a tip-off at the end of last year. Police tracked the movement and activities of a 34-year-old man named Tsai and three accomplices. On May 21, police

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Record 2.4 tons of drugs destroyed: marijuana use increasing in Taiwan says MOJ

armed guard in front of drug shipment
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau destroyed 2,445 kilograms of illicit drugs seized during investigations, and said that the amount of marijuana continues to increase. On May 10, officers from the Taipei City Police Department, New Taipei City Police Department, and National Highway Police Bureau guarded the route as heavily armed personnel from the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau flanked an armored truck borrowed from the Bank of Taiwan as it made its way from a secure warehouse to the

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Taiwan prosecutors find Elon Musk not guilty of instructing or inducing people to smoke marijuana

Elon Musk smokes pot on Joe Rogan show
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

The Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office has concluded that Elon Musk is not guilty of inducing others to smoke marijuana, following an investigation arising from accusations made against the American billionaire by lawyer Zoe Lee. On August 23, 2023, Lee, who serves as secretary-general of Taiwan’s Green Party, filed a lawsuit accusing Musk of smoking marijuana during a show aired online in 2018, spreading the notion that marijuana is harmless. Musk also loosened regulations to allow marijuana advertisements on his social

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Elon Musk reported to Taiwan prosecutors for promoting marijuana use

composite picture showing Elon Musk smoking pot and pro-cannabis advocates in Taiwan
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , , ,

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been reported to the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office on the accusation of seducing people to use drugs, putting prosecutors in the awkward position of being obliged to investigate the tech billionaire if prosecutors take recent statements of their Ministry of Justice seriously. The demand for prosecutors to investigate the well-known tech CEO was a response to a statement made by the Ministry of Justice earlier this month that teaching marijuana use on the Internet, “spreading

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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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Law amended to reduce penalty for growing marijuana for own use

cannabis seedlings in pots
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of a bill today, approving amendments to the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act to reduce sentences for growing small amounts of cannabis for self use. Under the current law, the manufacture of drugs, including cultivating marijuana, carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison. However, recent judgements have interpreted this as being not commensurate with the principle of proportionality when it comes to small amounts grown by an individual for personal use. As

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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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Man caught growing 186 marijuana plants ‘for his own use’

cannabis grown under lights
Drugs 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

A man caught growing marijuana in Keelung City yesterday, December 20, told police that the 186 plants were for his own use. Police raided a house on Fuyi Street, after receiving a tip-off that the 50-year-old man, named Chen, was cultivating marijuana in the building. Police investigators found 13 mature plants, 173 seedlings, 13 bags of dried cannabis with a total weight of 549 grams, cultivation equipment, and other evidence. The plants were grown under lights, with black cloth covering

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Student expelled from police university over marijuana import case

Central Police University
Society 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

A student of the Central Police University has been expelled, and is currently in detention after facing charges over the import of cannabis earlier this year. According to reports today, November 25, the 20-year-old man, named Hsu, was arrested after taking delivery of a package of marijuana that had been identified by customs officers at Taoyuan International Airport. The package had been sent from Canada. On August 12, officers from the Taoyuan City Police Department disguised themselves as couriers and

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