October 9, 2025 – Taoyuan, Taiwan
Taiwanese authorities have indicted two Malaysian nationals for attempting to smuggle nearly three kilograms of heroin into the country, with an estimated street value exceeding NT$30 million (US$980,000), the Aviation Police Bureau (APB) announced on Wednesday.
According to the APB, the two suspects were recruited by an international drug trafficking syndicate that offered them payment to transport the Category One narcotic into Taiwan.
The case began in June when customs officials and the APB’s Security Inspection Squad detected a suspicious suitcase during an X-ray screening of baggage arriving from Malaysia at Taoyuan International Airport. Upon inspection, officers discovered 2.981 kilograms of heroin concealed inside the luggage.
Investigators said one suspect, a man in his twenties identified only as “J,” admitted that he traveled to Taiwan with another Malaysian, “D.” J told police that D had entered the country first and asked him to retrieve the bag afterward.
Customs officers intercepted D upon arrival, leading to the discovery of the hidden drugs. Surveillance footage later showed J taking a taxi to a hotel in Taoyuan’s Zhongli District. A joint task force composed of the APB and Taoyuan Police’s Zhongli and Pingjhen precincts then executed an arrest warrant, capturing J at the hotel and seizing a mobile phone believed to have been used to contact other members of the trafficking group.
The suspects reportedly told investigators that they met in Malaysia and found the “job opportunity” through an online advertisement for part-time work. They were promised a free three-day, two-night trip to Taiwan and a payment of NT$35,000 each for delivering the contraband, which another person was supposed to collect after their arrival.
The APB has since transferred the case to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for prosecution under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.
Chen Po-chuan (陳博全), head of the APB Criminal Investigation Division’s second investigation squad, said the case underscores the growing trend of drug syndicates exploiting foreign nationals through deceptive online recruitment.
Authorities reiterated that manufacturing, transporting, or selling Category One narcotics in Taiwan carries severe penalties, including the death penalty or life imprisonment, as well as fines of up to NT$30 million.
The APB urged the public—especially foreign visitors—to be cautious of online job offers that may be fronts for international drug trafficking operations.