The Ministry of Environment, Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Justice today held an event honoring police and prosecutors who have made outstanding contributions in investigating environmental crimes.
Environmental police and prosecutors set up a cooperative platform in 2011 to handle criminal cases of pollution that span across cities and counties, the Ministry of Environment said.
According to ministry data, as of last month, a total of 3,503 cases had been referred for prosecution, involving more than 12,000 people.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) praised the achievements of police and prosecutors in his remarks at the event.
If not for their hard work, “maybe only the Ministry of National Defense would be able to take such action to protect our land, mountains and rivers,” Cho said.
Anyone who harms the environment would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, he said.
The premier in particular called out cases in which local officials worked with criminal groups for personal gain, expressing hope that environmental police and prosecutors would continue to deter such unlawful activities.
Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said that those on the front lines of environmental cases often have to carry out ambush missions at night, which can be challenging and shocking.
His ministry would cooperate with the Ministry of the Interior to address the long-standing issue of surplus rock and soil from construction work, Peng said, hoping to fully eliminate waste problems in Taiwan.
Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said that the ministry would implement and enforce rules requiring surplus rock and soil to be recycled, lowering the chance of illegal activities.
Minister of Justice Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) said that in January and February, an interministerial task force investigated 71 cases involving 369 people, detaining 32 people and confiscating 90 machines and vehicles, as well as more than NT$500 million (US$15.65 million) in criminal proceeds.
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