9 Charged for Smuggling 154 Cats from China 

Kaohsiung District Prosecutors charged 9 offenders, including 4 detaineers ,for smuggling cat breeds from China on October 22th, 2021. The investiagtion was undergoig for two months and conducted by the Coast Guard Administration Investigation Kaohsiung Branch under prosecutors’ command and supervision. The task force unit followed up the fishing boat “Shunfa 886” boarded on local and Indonesian crew members. After interrogation, the prosecutor deemed that the smugglers were in breach of Article 41 of “Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases” and Article 2 of “The Smuggling Penalty Act”.

   Knowing that cats of which duty paid value over NT$100,000 belonged to the import-controlled articles regulated in accordance with the provisions promulgated by the Executive Yuan, and the Rabies-infected countries/ zones promulgated by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan included the Mainland Area, as well as cats were the “animals” specified in Article 4 of the “Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases” and were subject to quarantine according to Article 5 before being imported, Mr. Chang was found to hire the skipper Lin and other crew members, while Kuo was found in charge of dealing with pet shop owners and modifying the “Shunfa 886” with hidden compartments and air-conditioner.  

In order to cover up, the smugglers first brought hundred kilograms of fish from Zhengbin Fishing Harbor into “Shunfa 886”. On the other hand skipper Lin and other crew members sailed “Shunfa 886” from Keelung’s Badouzi Fishing Harbor to international waters off the west coast of Huayu in Penghu Islands, where they met with unidentified Chinese nationals to pick up 154 cats on board of several breeds, including Russian Blue, Ragdoll, Persian, American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Munchkin and Maine Coon with an estimated value of NT$1.96 million after taxes (market value still unknown), then hid the cats into cabin. “Shunfa 886” was intercepted by the Coast Guard vessel near Tainan’s Anping Port on the way to Taiwan. Considering cat-smuggling would make outbreaks of infectious diseases that could threaten the health of animals and humans in Taiwan, the prosecutor requested the court impose heavier sentence against the smugglers.