Minister of Justice Shih Mao-lin (施茂林) said yesterday police officers should do more to crack down on drug trafficking and use because such offenses have been closely associated with other criminal activities.
Shih made the remarks while attending a "drug-free homeland" activity organized by the Taipei Prosecutor's Office to mark the June 26 International Anti-Drug Day.
In 2003 and last year, Shih said, more than 8,400kg of contraband drugs were seized around the country. Worse still, he said, 30-plus amphetamine producing facilities were discovered during the same period, indicating that amphetamine production has gradually moved back to Taiwan from China.
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
"Official tallies also show that the number of repeat drug abusers and traffickers has been steadily rising," Shih said, adding that law enforcement agencies should strengthen cooperation in cracking down on drug-related crimes.
In addition, Shih said he is hopeful that community volunteers, school teachers and administrators as well as media outlets can launch a joint publicity campaign to help the public understand the dangers drugs pose to human health, social order and even national security.
Since many Taiwanese drug traffickers are believed to be hiding in China, Shih urged Beijing to intensify investigations into its domestic drug trade and cooperate with Taiwan to thwart drug trafficking across the Taiwan Strait.
"China should set aside its political ideology and cooperate with Taiwan to stamp out drug-related crime for the sake of protecting public health and social order," he said.
Shih's appeal for a redoubled crackdown on drug crime came two days after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said drug abuse is not just a personal moral issue but has become an issue crucial to public order, social stability, public health and national security.
During his meeting with individual volunteers and social groups that have made outstanding contributions to the anti-drug campaign over the past year, Chen said many crimes are related to drugs.
"With drug use on the increase, new ecstasy shipment arriving and the number of repeat drug abusers and traffickers rising steadily, drug-related crime has become rampant," Chen said, adding that drug abuse has also become a major cause behind the rise in the number of people affected with HIV in Taiwan.
Against this backdrop, Chen said he hopes individual volunteers and interest groups will continue their efforts in assisting the government in eradicating drug trafficking and abuse.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
Three tropical depressions yesterday intensified into tropical storms, with one likely to affect Taiwan as a typhoon, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The three storms, named Mitag, Ragasa and Neoguri, were designated as storms No. 17 to 19 for this year, the CWA said. Projected routes indicate that Ragasa is most likely to affect Taiwan, it said. As of 2am today, Ragasa was 1,370km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) on the southernmost tip of Taiwan. It was moving west-northwest before turning northwest, slowing from 11kph to 6kph, the agency said. A sea warning for Ragasa is unlikely before Sunday afternoon, but its outer rim
RSS