Yang Ming Marine officer detained in Kaohsiung for heroin smuggling

Kaohsiung, Jan. 31 (CNA) A Yang Ming Marine officer was detained Friday night over suspected heroin smuggling, following his arrest aboard a container ship docked at Kaohsiung Harbor a day earlier, local authorities said Saturday.

An officer surnamed Yu (尤) was taken into custody for questioning after customs officials discovered a large cache of heroin during a shipboard inspection of the Yang Ming Horizon following its arrival in Kaohsiung on Thursday, sources told CNA.

Kaohsiung prosecutors subsequently interrogated Yu and requested the district court to detain him, which was granted Friday night, according to the sources.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp., Taiwan's second-largest shipping line, said the Coast Guard Administration and the Investigation Bureau were alerted to the suspected smuggling by the vessel's Ship Security Officer immediately after the contraband was discovered.

According to the company, the Ship Security Officer received a tip-off from crew members regarding the suspicious goods delivered to the vessel while it was berthed at an undisclosed port, though local media identified the location as Vietnam.

The carrier said it has submitted all recorded CCTV footage and relevant logs to prosecutors for investigation, adding that no other crew members were involved in the case.