A couple in New Taipei City face trial on drug charges after police raided a home factory that reportedly produced narcotics and synthetic drugs.
Prosecutors on Sunday said the couple would be charged with contravening the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例).
Police said two Yonghe District (永和) residents, a man surnamed Liu (劉), 34, and his wife, surnamed Liao (廖), 29, rented a place in Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份), where they set up an illegal drug production factory.
Armed with warrants, police raided the Toufen location, where they allegedly found a chemical lab with facilities for grinding and mixing powders, reaction incubators and dryers, and an automated packaging system.
Police said they found 4kg of amphetamines, 9kg of ingredients for making Ecstasy, 2.1kg of ketamine, 20kg of chemical materials and unfinished products, and an unspecified number of sachets that are believed to contain a “narcotic coffee powder” that has become popular in the underground drug scene.
“The total value of these narcotics and synthetic drugs is estimated at about NT$50 million [US$1.64 million],” Yonghe District Police Precinct Deputy Chief Chen Ming-chieh (陳明傑) said.
The police have seldom come across such a complete drug-making facility, Chen said.
A tablet pressing machine for making amphetamine pills and an automated system for packaging drug powders indicate the couple must had been making substantial amounts of drugs, Chen said.
“Police officials confiscated NT$1.56 million in cash found on the husband. The couple also have NT$12 million in their bank accounts,” Chen said.
The couple appeared knowledgeable about synthesizing narcotics, and reportedly “customized” new flavors of drugs to order, such as strawberry-flavored amphetamines and a narcotic powder mixed with a fake soda-flavored powder, he said.
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