Taipei prosecutors yesterday announced they have uncovered a large-scale smuggling ring involved in the illegal trade of prohibited animal products, with several prominent businesspeople in the traditional Chinese medicine summoned for questioning.
Raids on Thursday by investigators and police resulted in three suspects being detained for questioning: Lien Chun-ying (連俊英), honorary chairman of the Taipei Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association; Ho Kuo-chang (何國彰), manager of Hung Lung Trading Co; and a man surnamed Lin (林), who works for Ho’s company.
After questioning, Lien, Lin and Ho were released yesterday after posting bail of NT$1 million (US$31,607), NT$800,000 and NT$400,000 respectively.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said it plans to press charges against the three for breaches of the Smuggling Penalty Act (懲治走私條例) and the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法).
At a news conference to announce the arrests, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Chang Chieh-chin (張介欽) said confiscated items included 18 animal horns, identified as having come from rhinoceroses, buffaloes and antelopes; 50 packages of bear bile; 124 packages of deer musk; and 21 packages identified as ground rhinoceros horn powder.
The items were touted as “medicines” and “cures” for a variety of ailments, fetching significant prices from traditional Chinese medicine companies and individual clients, Chang said, adding that prosecutors estimated that Lien and Ho had made about NT$1 million over the past three years from sales of the illegal goods.
Lien established Hung Lung, which hired Ho as sales manager, to import traditional Chinese medicinal products from China and smuggled the banned products in cargo containers, investigators said.
Some of the bear bile and deer musk originated from suppliers in China, while the rhinoceros and antelope horns, as well as other exotic animal parts, were sourced from other continents and were traded through an international smuggling operation, Chang said.
Investigators began surveillance of Lien and Ho in January after receiving reports from customers about the sale of illegal animal products, he said.
Investigators said the ringleader of the operation was Lien, who set up a group on messaging app Line, which reached more than 100 people and gave him a platform to tout the medical efficacy of the illegal products, and conducted “promotional events” in various cities across the nation to drum up business and encourage customers to try the products.
Members of the public should not purchase illegal animal products or traditional medicinal ingredients of unknown origin, as they are not only unlikely to provide the touted medicinal benefits, but also probably contain heavy metals or other substances that are hazardous to human health, prosecutors said, adding that both sellers and buyers are subject to criminal charges.
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