Taoyuan, Taiwan (October 25, 2025)— Authorities have cracked a major cross-border drug smuggling case after uncovering 2.6 kilograms of heroin hidden in snack and instant drink packages flown in from Thailand. A Taiwanese man surnamed Huang and his Thai accomplice Rassamee allegedly orchestrated the smuggling operation, using an accomplice in Taiwan to receive the shipment.
According to the Taoyuan District Prosecutor’s Office, 48-year-old Huang conspired with Rassamee in June this year to transport heroin from Thailand to Taiwan. Rassamee allegedly concealed the drugs in snack and instant beverage packaging, disguising them as ordinary air cargo. Huang then instructed a 49-year-old woman surnamed Gan, who had a prior drug conviction, to act as the package recipient and provide her contact information and address for delivery.
The heroin shipment, weighing 2,620.29 grams, was transported to Taoyuan International Airport via China Airlines flight CI832 on June 17. Customs officers at the Taipei Customs Office of the Ministry of Finance’s Customs Administration became suspicious during inspection and discovered the hidden drugs inside the snack packages. The case was subsequently handed over to the Taoyuan City Investigation Division of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau for further investigation.
On June 25, Gan went to a logistics company’s office in Bade District to pick up the parcel after being notified of its arrival. Investigators from the Ministry of Justice were waiting on-site and arrested her immediately. Gan confessed that she had been instructed by Huang to retrieve the shipment. Investigators later found chat records confirming her communication with Huang, which led them to his location in Fuxing District, where he was subsequently apprehended.
Prosecutors concluded that Huang and Gan had clear roles and intent in carrying out the smuggling operation and were both acting in coordination with other members of an international drug trafficking network.
The Taoyuan District Prosecutor’s Office has charged the pair with transporting and smuggling Category I narcotics, violating Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act and Article 2, Paragraph 1 of the Anti-Smuggling Act.
Authorities stressed that the case demonstrates continued vigilance at Taiwan’s airports and close cooperation between customs and law enforcement to intercept illegal drug shipments entering the country.