Officials warn against pork products from Bangladesh as ASF spreads

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) People bringing in pork products from Bangladesh will face fines of at least NT$200,000, after the country reported cases of African swine fever (ASF) on Thursday, Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) for ASF said Friday.

The outbreak occurred in Chittagong, where 274 pigs on a farm of 414 pigs came down with the disease, and 227 of them died. It was the first report of ASF in the country, which indicates that the disease is still spreading in Asia, the CEOC said.

Though Bangladesh was considered to be free of ASF prior to Thursday, it was not recognized as disease-free for other infectious animal diseases, meaning that pigs and pork imports from the country were not permitted.

Under the previous designation, however, the fine for bringing in pork products from Bangladesh was NT$30,000.

After the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) on Friday added Bangladesh to the list of countries detected with ASF within the previous three years, the fine was raised to NT$200,000.

Moreover, visitors who are unable to pay the fine upfront will be denied entry into Taiwan and deported, the CEOC said.

There are currently no direct flights between Bangladesh and Taiwan, and the APHIA has asked its four branches, as well as the Ministry of Finance's Customs Administration and the Ocean Affairs Council's Coast Guard Administration to step up quarantines and investigations.

Taiwan and Japan are the only remaining East Asian ASF-free countries since the ASF outbreak erupted in China in 2018, APHIA Deputy Director-General Hsu Jung-pin (徐榮彬) said Tuesday.