Taiwan Customs Administration has already removed Canada and the USA from the list of countries with a low risk of drug trafficking, after a passenger arriving on a flight from Los Angeles was found with two suitcases full of cannabis earlier this month. A Taiwanese citizen named Guo (郭) was intercepted at Taipei Taoyuan airport at 5:00am on June 1, and found to have 37 kilograms of cannabis heads packed in 66 bags in two checked-in suitcases. There had been
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Chinese dissidents allowed into the country after spending 125 days in airport
Two Chinese men who sought political asylum, but were denied entry in September last year, have been allowed to enter Taiwan after spending 125 days living in Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. The two asylum seekers, Liu Xinglian, 64, and Yan Kefen, 44, were granted entry late last night, January 30, after flying to an un-named third destination and being granted a visa based on “professional exchange.” The professional exchange visas allow the two to stay in Taiwan for up to
Read moreAir New Zealand To Fly Direct Auckland to Taipei from November
Air New Zealand said it will fly up to 5 times per week direct between Auckland and Taipei Taoyuan International Airport starting in November 2018. The 11 hour flight NZ77 will depart Auckland at 10:35am and arrive in Taiwan at 4:50pm local time. Flight NZ78 will depart Taipei at 6:30pm, arriving in Auckland at 10:20am the following day. The route will be flown by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Air New Zealand briefly flew direct to Taipei in the winter of
Read moreCocaine and Cannabis Concealed in Shock Absorbers
Customs officers at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport intercepted shipments of cocaine and cannabis hidden in shock absorbers on October 20 and October 23 respectively and police made two arrests yesterday when the suspects attempted to take delivery of the shipments. An x-ray examination of the shock absorbers drew customs officers’ attention October 20, and after cutting one open, the officers found cocaine. A total of 3.983kg of cocaine was found in the shipment. The Customs Bureau and Police agencies formed
Read moreAmerican Police Officer Questioned for Carrying Firearm on Flight
A California cop has been questioned after inadvertently carrying a handgun and six bullets on a flight transiting in Taiwan. The Santa Monica police officer discovered she had forgotten to unpack the gun before embarking on a trip to Bangkok. After discovering her error, Nell Grant approached staff at the transit counter at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and told them she had a handgun and six rounds of ammunition in her backpack. Airport police took her for interrogation, then handed
Read moreElephant Tusk Seized at Taoyuan Airport
Customs officials yesterday intercepted what they say is the biggest elephant tusk ever seized at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. A Taiwanese man surnamed Chen attempted to enter the country with the tusk after purchasing it in Beijing. Mr Chen claims that he paid 200,000RMB (NTD930,000) for the tusk. Customs officers measured the tusk at 116 centimeters in length, and 11 centimeters in diameter at the base. The tusk weighs 10.22 kilograms. Mr Chen arrived on a flight from Beijing at
Read morePlane Damaged After Tail-strike
China Airlines confirmed that an A330 Airbus was damaged after a tail-strike incident during landing. The plane was forced to abort the landing and do a fly-around. The Aviation Safety Council has confirmed that damage to the aircraft structure is substantial and extends to the pressurized section. The council will carry out a full investigation of the incident. The accident occurred on a flight from Manila as it was attempting to land at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. A tail-strike can
Read moreAirline Faces Flak For Flying into Typhoon
Evergreen Airlines (EVA Air) is facing criticism after landing, and attempting to land airliners during a category three typhoon that swept across Taiwan on September 27. Passengers and crew reported passengers vomiting, crying, and fainting, during landing attempts. Passengers endured hours of circling before pilots made sometimes multiple landing approaches before aborting and diverting to other airports. One plane that made a successful landing was left stranded on the tarmac, while passengers waited more than 3.5 hours to be disembarked.
Read moreMan Busted at Airport: Amphetamine Bound for Australia
A 25 year-old Taiwanese man was arrested at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport Friday evening, June 17, when he was about to board a plane bound for Brisbane, Australia, carrying 5.4kg of amphetamine in 8 packs taped to his body. Working on a tip-off, police waited for the man, Chen Kun-sheng (陳坤生) in the departure lounge. When he arrived, they established his identity and showed a search warrant. As well as the amphetamine, Mr Chen was found in possession of a
Read moreTaiwan East Coast Rocks! 100kg Intercepted at Airport
Taiwan’s East Coast National Scenic Area Administration Office in Taidong (Taitung) recently received 100 kilograms of rocks in 5 boxes. The rocks were confiscated over a three-month period from Chinese tourists attempting to exit the country with the popular, free, but illegal, souvenirs. The haul included small stones, easy to slip into your pocket to very large stones, and also a bottle of sand. Customs officials pointed out that rocks, especially larger ones constitute a flight security risk, as they
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