TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A German national faces potential execution or life imprisonment after Taoyuan prosecutors indicted him Thursday (May 8) for allegedly smuggling heroin into Taiwan. Authorities assert the man agreed to transport the narcotics for a US$2.3 million (approximately NT$69.7 million) payment following communications with an international drug trafficking network.
According to prosecutors, the suspect traveled to Bangkok on Feb. 11, where he obtained luggage containing approximately 3,400 grams of heroin. Three days later, he flew to Taiwan where alert customs officials at Taoyuan International Airport, the country's main international gateway, identified suspicious irregularities in his baggage during routine screening procedures, prompting an inspection that led to his immediate detention.
The suspect has maintained ignorance about the heroin concealed in his luggage, but prosecutors have nonetheless charged him under "Taiwan's Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act" (毒品危害防制條例), Taiwan's primary anti-drug legislation. Legal authorities contend the defendant should have reasonably anticipated the presence of contraband. Beyond potential execution or life imprisonment, a conviction could also carry a fine of up to NT$30 million (US$990,000).
The case highlights Taiwan's stringent approach to narcotics enforcement, where trafficking offenses can carry capital punishment—a stark contrast to drug policies in many Western nations. Taiwan's authorities have intensified border screening in recent years as part of broader efforts to prevent drug smuggling, particularly as international trafficking networks increasingly target East Asian markets with high-value narcotics shipments. ★