Taipei: The Taichung District Court on Tuesday sentenced a father and son, both surnamed Chen, to prison for fraud and other offenses connected to an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak at their farm in October 2025.

According to Focus Taiwan, the younger Chen received a three-year prison term, while his father was sentenced to one year and six months. The verdict is subject to appeal. Prosecutors had charged the pair in February with fraud, document forgery, and filing false reports under the Waste Disposal Act. The charges stem from their failure to report pig deaths, an act prosecutors described as "extremely malicious" and seriously harmful to national interests.

The Taichung District Prosecutors Office indicated that the issue began on October 10 of the previous year when pigs at the Chens' farm in Wuqi District began to die in large numbers. The Chens did not report the disease, opting instead to administer antibiotics themselves, a measure that proved ineffective.

The Chens underreported the pig deaths, sending some carcasses to a licensed processor while illicitly disposing of others. Prosecutors found that 46 pig deaths were not reported. Further inspections and mandatory testing confirmed ASF, leading to the culling of the 195 remaining pigs on October 22, 2025.

Moreover, the Chens were accused of using amoxicillin without veterinary diagnosis during the outbreak and deceitfully selling 28 pigs for over NT$320,000 (US$10,200) at auction on October 13 using a false health declaration.

Previously declared ASF-free in May 2025, Taiwan faced a five-day nationwide ban on pig transportation and slaughter following the outbreak. Authorities also temporarily prohibited the use of kitchen waste as feed.