Prosecutors indict pig farm operators in ASF case, seek heavy sentence

Taichung, Feb. 25 (CNA) Prosecutors on Wednesday indicted a father and son for falsifying evidence that African swine fever (ASF) broke out at their pig farm in Taichung's Wuqi District last October and recommended that the court give them heavy sentences.

In a statement, the Taichung District Prosecutors Office said the two, surnamed Chen (陳), were charged with fraud, document forgery and filing false reports under the Waste Disposal Act and described their conduct as "extremely malicious" and had "seriously harmed national interests."

The case stems from Taiwan's first-ever domestic ASF outbreak, confirmed on Oct. 25, after 117 pigs at the farm died between Oct. 10 and 20.

Prosecutors said the farm was registered to recycle kitchen waste as pig feed, which must be boiled at over 90 degrees Celsius for at least one hour before being fed to pigs and properly reported with photo or video proof.

Investigators found that the younger Chen had uploaded old photos taken in 2022 as false proof that it was following the procedure between January 2023 and September 2025.

The farm also allegedly overstated its use of kitchen waste and gas, resold surplus waste to other farms, and filed false monthly reports through an unidentified agent.

When pigs began dying in large numbers in October 2025, the pair allegedly failed to report the suspected outbreak and instead administered antibiotics, prosecutors said.

They underreported deaths, sending some carcasses to a licensed processor while hiring illegal operators to dispose of others, prosecutors alleged, and they eventually found that 46 pig deaths were not reported.

After inspections and mandatory testing, authorities confirmed ASF and culled 195 remaining pigs on Oct. 22, 2025.

Prosecutors also accused the operators of administering amoxicillin without a veterinary diagnosis during the outbreak and selling 28 pigs for over NT$320,000 (US$10,200) at auction on Oct. 13 using a false health declaration.

Taiwan had been declared free of ASF in May 2025, but following the outbreak authorities imposed a five-day nationwide ban on the transporting and slaughter of pigs and temporarily barred the use of kitchen waste as feed.

The Ministry of Agriculture sought to regain ASF-free status with the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) last week, saying that the affected farm was cleaned and disinfected, with samples testing negative on Nov. 21, 2025, after which no further cases had been detected.