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

Release date: April 30, 2021

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

Kuwaiti male immediately pays fine NT$300,000 by card at the joint operation of health, enforcement agency, and police of Taipei and Kaohsiung

    Through the joint operation on April 28, 2021 of the Taipei Department of Health (TPDOH), Kaohsiung Department of Health (KHDOH), Taipei Branch and Kaohsiung Branch of the Administrative Enforcement Agency (AEA), Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and the Kaohsiung Police Department (KHPD), a Kuwaiti male accepted the sanction citation and paid the administrative fine of NT$300,000 immediately by credit card at the Kaohsiung group quarantine facility.

    After arriving in Taiwan by flight on April 18, the Kuwaiti checked in a quarantine hotel in Taipei City for quarantine until 2400 on May 2. On April 24, he left the quarantine hotel without permission and took a taxi and then the THSR to Pingtung in southern Taiwan for the international triathlon game. As he could not show any quarantine credentials to the event organizer, he was immediately caught for breaking the violation of regulations by leaving the quarantine hotel without permission. He was immediately sent to the Kaohsiung group quarantine facility.

    The TPDOH already fined the Kuwaiti male a sum of NT$300,000. To ensure the legal delivery of the sanction citation to that Kuwaiti male and to urge him to pay the fine before leaving Taiwan, TPDOH maintained close contact with AEA Taipei and AEA Kaohsiung and asked KHDOH to arrange the staff, transportation, and interpreters for the delivery. In addition, in response to epidemic control cases involving foreigners, AEA Kaohsiung already installed an international electronic funds transfer at point of sale (EFTPOS) last March for alien obligors to pay the fine with a credit card issued overseas. TPDOH asks AEA Kaohsiung to supply the EFTOPS for that Kuwaiti male to pay the fine by credit card without leaving the group quarantine facility.

    After the advanced deployment of related roles, events, and instruments, related staff of TPDOH, KHDOH, AEA Kaohsiung, and KHPD put on the protective gowns in the morning on April 28 to the Kaohsiung group quarantine facility for TPDOH staff to deliver the sanction citation to that Kuwaiti male at the entrance of his isolation room. The staff of the Foreign Affairs Police Unit explained to him the citation contents and the payment procedure. The Kuwaiti male immediately agreed to cooperate with Taiwan’s epidemic control regulations and returned to Kuwait after the quarantine ended. He also agreed to pay the fine with two credit cards. AEA Kaohsiung staff immediately took out the EFTPOS for the Kuwaiti male to pay the fine of NT$300,000. The sum was already transferred to the treasury on April 29.

    Through the cross-department horizontal connections and close cooperation of TPDOH, KHDOH, AEA Taipei, AEA Kaohsiung, and KHPD, staff smoothly claimed the fine from the Kuwaiti male violating the home quarantine regulations to demonstrate the combined efforts and determination in “epidemic control” and “law enforcement” of governments at all levels across Taiwan. 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.