Australian woman indicted for attempt to smuggle heroin into Taiwan

Taipei, April 1 (CNA) An Australian woman has recently been indicted for allegedly attempting to smuggle nearly seven kilograms of heroin into Taiwan late last year, the Aviation Police Bureau said Monday.

The woman was caught with 6.926 kg of heroin concealed in a compartment of her check-in luggage when it was subjected to an examination by Taipei Customs officers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in December 2023.

Chen Po-chuan (陳博全), captain of the Second Investigation Team of the bureau's Criminal Investigation Brigade, said the woman, in her 60s, flew into Taiwan from Australia via Malaysia, where she picked up the suitcase with the concealed drugs.

When questioned, she argued that she came to Taiwan on vacation, but she did not have many clothes or everyday items in her luggage, he said.

The Aviation Police Bureau also sent officers to the hotel booked by the woman to see if somebody showed up to pick up the drugs, but to no avail, Chen said.

Police have also provided relevant information to Taiwan's overseas outposts as part of an effort to track down other accomplices both at home and abroad in the case, he said.

Following the investigation, prosecutors indicted the woman for violating the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act by attempting to smuggle the drugs, which Chen said had a market value of more than NT$40 million (US$1.25 million).