Kaohsiung: Criminal investigators in Kaohsiung raided a mephedrone manufacturing site on Saturday, arresting three suspects and seizing drugs with an estimated market value of NT$100 million (US$3.18 million). The Kaohsiung City Police Department’s Renwu Precinct announced this significant bust on Sunday, revealing the site was strategically located in a hilly area of Dashu District in the southern Taiwan city.
According to Focus Taiwan, the operation was allegedly spearheaded by a man surnamed Hsin, with the assistance of two individuals surnamed Lee and Yen. The Renwu Precinct had received a tip-off regarding the illicit site, prompting the formation of a task force with other units of the Kaohsiung City Police Department, including the Hunei Precinct.
The case was subsequently referred to Prosecutor Liang Yung-chun of the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office, who took the lead in the investigation. After days of thorough evidence collection and suspect tracking, police mobilized a large team to carry out the raid at around 1 p.m. on Saturday, successfully arresting the three individuals involved.
During the raid, authorities seized drug manufacturing equipment, over 47 kilograms of finished mephedrone, and approximately 300 kilograms of unfinished product. The seized mephedrone could have potentially been processed into around 400,000 drug packets, carrying an estimated market value of NT$100 million.
Hsieh Hsien-chung, head of the investigation team at the Renwu Precinct, confirmed that the case has now been transferred to the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office. The suspects may face indictments under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.