Police in Tainan are looking for a Chinese businessman who has not paid fines totaling NT$700,000 for breaching COVID-19 quarantine regulations.
The man, surnamed Pan (潘), arrived from China on March 20 and was told to quarantine himself for 14 days. He stayed with relatives in Tainan’s Rende District (仁德).
Tainan health authorities said that they received tip-offs from residents who said they spotted Pan going out to shop and eat.
An investigation found that Pan had been out on seven different days.
He was fined a total of NT$700,000 for breaching quarantine seven times, the authorities said.
All people quarantined at home or at designated accommodation are issued a mobile phone that tracks their location, to make sure they remain indoors for the 14-day period.
However, “this Chinese businessman flouted the law, and left the phone at home before he went out,” a Tainan official said. “Asked about where he had been, the man lied, saying he had been indoors.”
“We gave him a daily phone call, but he deceived us by telling us he was at home all day, but then went outside right after finishing the call,” the official said. “One time, we caught him shopping outside, but he and his relatives showed little concern ... saying that he would make amends next time.”
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) yesterday said that health authorities sent out the fine payment notice, which was received at the residence on Friday. It was only then that they found he had gone missing.
It is believed that Pan left for China on April 7, but officials are still trying to verify whether he did, Huang said.
“This Chinese businessman was in Taiwan, but he did not have the sense to obey the law,” he said. “The fine has to be paid first, if he wants to enter Taiwan again.”
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