The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said that it, in conjunction with other agencies, had seized a record 13.8 tonnes of narcotics so far this year, about 1.46 times the amount seized in last year.
Among the drug busts were seven major maritime smuggling cases and two container smuggling cases, which uncovered a combined 7,236kg of narcotics, the CGA told a news conference in Taichung.
Authorities also raided five drug manufacturing sites, yielding 2,042kg of drugs and 481 cannabis plants, the agency said.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
It also collaborated with foreign authorities through international information-sharing channels to intercept 4,147kg of drugs destined for Taiwan, the CGA said.
The authorities seized 9,441kg of narcotics last year.
The CGA highlighted four cases at the news conference, three of which involved illegal drug manufacturing sites, where finished and semi-finished narcotics valued at NT$400 million (US$12.67 million) on the black market were seized.
The seized drugs primarily consisted of ketamine, mephedrone and pseudoephedrine, the CGA said.
The drugs seized from the illicit manufacturing premises were enough to produce about 2 million doses and would have had “unthinkable” consequences for society if they had entered circulation, Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said.
Kuan praised the “seamless” collaboration by the CGA, prosecutors, police and customs authorities in cracking down on narcotics-related offenses and pledged to step up inspection efforts.
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