Tainan: The Tainan District Court on Tuesday sentenced five people to prison terms ranging from 11 months to eight years for their roles in smuggling 330 kilograms of marijuana into Taiwan last year. The sentences were handed down to individuals involved in a drug trafficking operation that had significant international links.
According to Focus Taiwan, the court sentenced the captain of a Taiwan-registered vessel, surnamed Chen, to eight years in prison, while a man surnamed Lee received five years. Additionally, three Indonesian crew members were each sentenced to 11 months, with their sentences suspended for two years. The ruling, however, can be appealed, providing a potential avenue for those convicted to challenge the court's decision.
The court detailed that the smuggling operation was masterminded by a man surnamed Cho, who orchestrated the trafficking of marijuana and seeds, considered Category 2 narcotics in Taiwan, for profit. Cho had instructed Lee to recruit individuals to retrieve the drugs from a vessel at a designated offshore location. Chen, who was in debt due to gambling, learned about the scheme through another man surnamed Lin, who is currently wanted by authorities. Enticed by the promise of NT$5 million (US$159,047), Chen agreed to pilot the Chin Yu Man No. 368 vessel.
On February 14, 2025, Chen and the crew departed from Donggang Yanpu fishing port in Pingtung County. They later met an unidentified vessel at sea to transfer the cargo. The operation was intercepted by Taiwan's Coast Guard on February 28, when Chen's fishing vessel was stopped in waters southwest of Tainan. The boat was subsequently brought back to Anping Port, where authorities seized the marijuana and detained the crew.
Chou Cheng-chang, head of the Tainan Reconnaissance Brigade, stated that the Chin Yu Man No. 368 had navigated near the Pratas and Spratly Islands to collect the cargo. A preliminary investigation indicated that the shipment originated in Thailand, highlighting the international scope of the smuggling operation.