Taipei: Five Vietnamese nationals living in Taiwan have been indicted for their involvement in a drug smuggling ring that targeted migrant workers, according to the Aviation Police Bureau. The group is accused of smuggling and distributing marijuana, amphetamines, and other drugs to migrant workers, primarily through parcels airmailed from Thailand.

According to Focus Taiwan, the investigation began in July when aviation police and customs officials discovered packets of marijuana hidden in parcels addressed to certain Vietnamese nationals in Taiwan. Following a joint investigation with the National Immigration Agency, authorities arrested five Vietnamese suspects in Taoyuan and Hsinchu. A “chief suspect” was identified abroad, and law enforcement officials seized 5 kilograms of marijuana and over NT$140,000 in cash during the operation.

Chen Mian-tsung, head of a cybercrime unit in the bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, stated that the suspects were either migrant workers who had left their legal em
ployers, visa overstayers, or students. They operated primarily in areas of Taoyuan and Hsinchu with large migrant worker populations. The operation reportedly involved a complex division of labor, utilizing migrant workers to collect drug shipments and employing cars to distribute drugs to Vietnamese and Thai workers across northern and central Taiwan.

Chen noted that the suspects profited significantly from their drug sales, often flaunting their wealth by purchasing expensive jewelry and posting images of large stacks of cash online. Despite denying the allegations, the five suspects have been indicted for violations of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act and the Organized Crime Prevention Act.

In Taiwan, marijuana is classified as a category 2 narcotic. The production, transport, or sale of such substances is punishable by 10 years to life imprisonment and a fine of up to NT$15 million.