October 13, 2025 — Taipei, Taiwan
A man identified only by his surname Su is facing legal proceedings after being suspected of purchasing a butterfly specimen containing the protected Large Purple Admiral species on the Shopee auction platform for NT$760.
The Taipei City Animal Protection Department discovered the specimen during an inspection of Su’s Shaka Antique Gallery cat cafe in January 2024. The specimen was subsequently sent to Pingtung University of Science and Technology, where it was confirmed to be a protected species.
Authorities say Su was aware that the Large Purple Admiral is a protected wild animal under regulations issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, yet he still placed a bid for the specimen via the Shopee account “mosquito_o” in April 2022. The seller, identified as Liao Pei’er, sent the specimen to a Shopee store in Datong District, Taipei City, where Su collected it using cash on delivery.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged Su under Article 40, Paragraph 2 of the Wildlife Conservation Act, which prohibits purchasing items made from protected wildlife without authorization. However, the prosecutors determined that Su’s residence and the crime scene were both located in Datong District, placing the case outside the jurisdiction of the Taipei District Court.
During the hearing, the court noted that the transaction between Su and Liao was considered opposite offenses under the Wildlife Conservation Act. Both parties committed independent violations and were not acting as accomplices. Consequently, the Taipei District Court transferred the case to the Shilin District Court in accordance with Articles 304 and 307 of the Criminal Procedure Act for further trial.
Authorities emphasize that purchasing or trading protected wildlife without proper consent is illegal and subject to prosecution under Taiwanese law.