NT$10 million worth of contraband cigarettes seized by Taiwan's coast guard

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) A total of 164,000 packs of contraband cigarettes, valued at nearly NT$10 million (US$311,369), were seized by a patrol squad from a hidden compartment in a fishing vessel during an inspection on Wednesday evening, according to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).

After boarding the fishing vessel, coast guard marine inspectors noticed that a machine was placed in an unusual position on the deck, said Hsieh Yu-mao (謝祐懋), a deputy director at the Patrol Command Two of the CGA's Northern Branch, which oversees the northern waters around Taiwan's main island.

They discovered a hidden compartment after moving the machine and, using a handheld X-ray machine and a detection dog, found 164,000 packs of cigarettes stored in 328 boxes, valued at nearly NT$10 million, Hsieh added.

The 66-year-old captain, surnamed Wu (吳), and five Vietnamese crew members were referred to the Keelung District Prosecutors Office for investigation in violation of the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act, according to a press release by the Patrol Command Two.