Four aviation police officers have been arrested and detained after authorities cracked a smuggling ring that reportedly brought in undeclared cigarettes and alcohol through inbound flight baggage at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
Taoyuan district prosecutors and agents of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau carried out the raids on Thursday.
At press time last night, the four remained in detention and were held incommunicado after being questioned, as prosecutors continued the investigation to find out if higher-ranking officials were involved.
The four Aviation Police Bureau officers are: Criminal Investigation Brigade vice captain Su Sheng-li (蘇勝利), two Security Patrol Brigade junior captains Wu Hou-chien (吳候潛) and Lin Chien-ching (林建清), and an officer named Liao Chih-chiang (廖志強).
Prosecutors said the smuggling activities began in 2010, and the perpetrators have made at least NT$6 million (US$185,368) in illegal profit.
It was a case of abusing the police and judiciary powers vested in them, a prosecutor said.
The four allegedly used their families and friends going on overseas trips to smuggle in cigarettes and alcohol by escorting them past customs without being checked.
They were allowed to use special entry gates reserved for diplomats, high-ranking government officials and other authorized personnel, prosecutors said.
Given the lower prices at duty-free stores in some countries, the smuggled goods are sold at a profit to licensed cooperating stores in Taiwan, they said.
Prosecutors said they are focusing on whether criminal syndicates are involved, and whether the accused had used their access and authority to smuggle in firearms, narcotics and other contraband goods.
The four at first denied taking part in any illegal activity, but when questioned and presented with incriminating evidence, they defended themselves by saying it was due to pressure from local politicians, government officials and their superiors to “help out” with escorting in undeclared goods, prosecutors said.
Ming Chuan University management professor Chang Ping-wu (張平吾) said that customs authorities should set up multiple levels of security units and checkpoints in airports and seaports to stop small groups such as this from gaining access and control over the whole customs process.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
MORE NEEDED: Recall drives against legislators in Miaoli’s two districts and Hsinchu’s second district were still a few thousand signatures short of the second-stage threshold Campaigners aiming to recall Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators yesterday said they expect success in 30 out of 35 districts where drives have passed the second-stage threshold, which would mark a record number of recall votes held at once. Hsinchu County recall campaigners yesterday announced that they reached the second-stage threshold in the recall effort against Legislator Lin Szu-ming (林思銘). A total of 26,414 signatures have been gathered over the past two months, surpassing the 10 percent threshold of 23,287 in Hsinchu County’s second electoral district, chief campaigner Hsieh Ting-ting (謝婷婷) said. “Our target is to gather an additional 1,500 signatures to reach
RSS