Taiwan uncovered the largest drug smuggling case on a fishing boat in recent years, and the amount of heroin seized exceeded the total amount of the past three years.

The Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice announced today that it had recently uncovered the largest drug smuggling case on a fishing boat in recent years. The amount of heroin seized exceeded the total amount of heroin seized nationwide in the past three years. (Photo by reporter Liu Xinde)

On December 3 last year, the New Taipei District Prosecutor's Office and the Pingtung District Prosecutor's Office directed the Beijing Station of the Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice to cooperate with the Pingtung County Investigation Station, the Southern Area Mobile Work Station and the 5th Coast Guard of the Coast Guard Fleet Branch of the Ocean Commission, the Taipei Military Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. As a result, a fishing boat was seized for smuggling drugs in the waters southwest of Ryukyu Island, and 740 bricks of heroin (281.2 kilograms) and 340 packages of ketamine (353.6 kilograms) were found on the ship. Three Taiwanese suspects and seven foreign crew members were arrested.

The Bureau of Investigation pointed out that a total of 281 kilograms of heroin were seized this time, which has exceeded the total amount of heroin seized nationwide in the past three years. It has also set a record for the Bureau of Investigation's heroin seizure. It has also become the most iconic anti-drug achievement in recent years and can be called an "epic" success record. The market value of the drugs seized this time is estimated to be about 10.3 billion yuan. If it enters the market, 13 million people may be harmed.

On November 29 last year, the "Tian Fa Cai 38" set sail from Donggang, Pingtung County. After arriving at the coordinates and docking with an unknown iron ship on December 2, the two parties confirmed each other's identities through the serial numbers on the hundred-dollar bills, then moved 23 feed bags containing drugs into the fishing vessel's freezer and prepared to return to the port.

After grasping the relevant information, the New Taipei District Prosecutor's Office and the Pingtung District Prosecutor's Office directed a task force to search the waters southwest of Ryukyu Island on December 3 last year. At about 2 o'clock in the morning that night, the task force encountered the target ship. Because the other party refused to cooperate, they fired multiple shotguns to suppress it, and successfully boarded the fishing boat "Tianfacai No. 38" to conduct a search.

Subsequently, the task force found a total of 740 bricks of the first-class drug "Double Lion Earth Brand" heroin weighing 281.2 kilograms and 340 packages of ketamine weighing 353.6 kilograms in the bow, fishing hold and frozen fish bait of the "Tian Fa Choi 38". They also successfully arrested 3 Taiwanese crew members and 7 foreign crew members, and completed the seizure of all drugs.

Executive Director Zhuo Rongtai (second from right), IOC Chairman Guan Biling (first from left), and American Institute in Taiwan Director Gu Liyan (second from left) jointly witnessed the fruitful results of the anti-narcotics operation of the Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice. (Photo by reporter Liu Xinde)