Press release from Kaohsiung Branch, Administrative Enforcement Agency (AEA), Ministry of Justice

Release date: April 20, 2021

Contact person: Chief Enforcement Officer Shu Wen Wang
Contact numbers: 07-7152158 ext. 701

AEA Kaohsiung launches “Operation COVID-19 Sanctions” on April 20

    To prevent citizens from causing loopholes in epidemic control out of negligence and stop people from ignoring the administrative fines for violating epidemic control measures by putting faith in luck, the Kaohsiung Branch of the Administrative Enforcement Agency (AEA), Ministry of Justice (MOJ), launched the “Operation COVID-19 Sanctions” today (20^th). In the operation, AEA seized two items of real estate and one KYMCO motorcycle in Liugui District.

    This operation by AEA Kaohsiung was targeted at the cases violating the COVID-19 control measures referred to the branch in 2021 by the Kaohsiung Department of Health (KHDOH). Three teams were sent to implement administrative enforcement on site. Obligor Liu was a home quarantine case requiring home isolation after returning from China on May 10, 2020. Between 1830 to 2000 on May 11, 2020, he went outside his premises to take care of his crops in the garden (backyard). When the referral entity found this, he admitted that the garden was unfenced, and he was unsure if it was accessible by others. That is, he could not guarantee the risk of transmission. As this may cause loopholes in epidemic control and has violated the home quarantine regulations, he was fined a sum of NT$150,000. Although Liu has applied for payment by installment to the referral entity, he only paid the first six installments and left an outstanding balance of NT$112,500. The referral entity thus transferred the case to AEA Kaohsiung to claim the balance. In the investigation after case acceptance, Kaohsiung AEA found that Liu owns a farmhouse of about 152m² in Zhongzhuang, Liugui District. To prevent the obligor from shedding off his assets, the task force immediately seized the said farmhouse and the land where it stands when they arrived at Liugui District in the morning. If Liu fails to pay the outstanding balance within one month, AEA Kaohsiung will auction his assets.

    Obligor Pan returned from Cambodia on January 3, 2021. Instead of staying at the premises for home quarantine as required by law, he left the quarantine hotel at 2325 on the same day to fetch the SIM card of his mobile from home and had supper at a convenience store. He was captured by the referral entity and fined a sum of NT$120,000. In addition, he even refused to pay the food and accommodations at the quarantine hotel amounting to NT$42,000. The referral entity thus transferred both amounts to AEA Kaohsiung. When the task force implemented administrative enforcement at Pan’s residence in Renwu District and found his KYMKO motorcycle outside this premises, AEA Kaohsiung immediately seized the motorcycle.

    Further investigation found that obligor Cheng left the quarantine hotel without permission after returning from Cambodia this January. He was fined NT$200,000 by the referral entity and did not pay the food and accommodations amounting to NT$27,000 for the quarantine hotel. KHDOH thus transferred both cases to AEA Kaohsiung on April 12. The task force went to Cheng’s residence in Fengshan today and found his parents. According to his mother, he was in northern Taiwan, without a stable income, and was debt-ridden. In consideration of his financial status and difficulties in life, the task force asked his parents to relax and tell the obligor to apply for payment by installment to AEA Kaohsiung if he could not pay the balances all at once. On hearing this, Cheng’s mother felt more comfortable and agreed to pay for the food and accommodations of the quarantine hotel at NT$27,000 on Friday. She also promised to ask the obligor to apply for payment by installment for the outstanding fine of NT$200,000.

    As some obligors in this operation were not found at their residences, AEA Kaohsiung has posted a notice on the door of their premises to request them to pay the outstanding balances to AEA Kaohsiung by the deadline stated in the notice. If they fail to report to AEA Kaohsiung by that time, AEA Kaohsiung will not rule out the possibility of issuing a wanted warrant to arrest obligors who intentionally ignore the law.

    AEA Kaohsiung urges the public to cooperate with the government’s epidemic control measures during the pandemic, do not overlook the importance of epidemic controls, and enhance self-protection to protect themselves and others. AEA Kaohsiung will accelerate enforcement on those who are punished and refuse to pay the administrative fine by the deadline. Obligors with financial difficulties may apply for payment by installment to AEA Kaohsiung and should not ignore the law. Let us work together in epidemic control to safeguard our homeland.