The Taipei Police Department yesterday said that it has seized the largest amphetamine cache of the past few years, with the drugs valued at more than NT$2 billion (US$71.38 million).
The investigation began late last year, involving the arrest of two individuals surnamed Chen (陳) and Lu (呂) on Nov. 1, Taipei Police Commissioner Yang Yuan-ming (楊源明) said at a news conference yesterday.
The arrest was not disclosed until yesterday, as the investigation continued during Chen and Lu’s detention.
Photo: CNA
Chen was the main person of interest and was the target of a joint task force investigation that was conducted in September last year, Yang said.
After examining the evidence collected that month, police suspected that an organized network was using a fishing boat to smuggle drugs into Taiwan through a port in Yilan County, he said.
The suspicions of police were raised by multiple records of Chen, 47, and Lu, 40, departing on fishing excursions and returning to Wushi Harbor (烏石港) in Toucheng Township (頭城) without declaring any catch.
As both men had histories of drug-related misdemeanors, the authorities launched a further investigation into their activities.
Further evidence led police to conclude that the men were smuggling drugs.
A task force obtained a search warrant in October last year to search their vessel on Nov. 1 upon return from a fishing excursion and found drugs in a hidden compartment in the boat’s deck.
The compartment was made of glass fiber and reinforced plastic to mask the smell from detection dogs, as the resin in the materials is known to conceal scent, Yang said, adding that objects were scattered around the compartment to further mask its location.
Police recovered approximately 650 bags of amphetamine, weighing about 720kg, which they estimated to be worth more than NT$2 billion, Yang said.
Chen told police while under questioning how the operation worked, he said.
Chen would send photos of the serial numbers of the NT$100 bills to the sellers before purchase, and flashes of light would be used for the two parties to identify each other and meet, Yang said, adding that the sellers would confirm Chen’s identity by checking the bills’ serial numbers during the transaction.
Police exchanged information with US authorities, which helped them conclude that the men were involved in a domestic drug organization, he said.
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