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

Release date: February 3, 2021

Contact person: Chief Enforcement Officer Shu Wen Wang

Contact numbers: 07-7152158 ext. 701

AEA Kaohsiung Branch started Operation Thunder against the second wave of violations of epidemic prevention regulations

The enforcement of the penalty of violating African Swine Fever prevention regulations ended successfully

Seizure the real properties located on Zhonghua 3rd Road, Qianjin District

The epidemic of African Swine Fever has not stopped, especially in Asia. The African Swine Fever epidemic is still severe. Although Taiwan is not marked as an epidemic area, many citizens living abroad have returned to Taiwan during the Lunar New Year Holidays. The Premier Su of Executive Yuan has instructed all ministries to do their best to eliminate African Swine Fever before it enters the country. In order to prevent the epidemic of African Swine Fever entering the country through the pork products which are brought by travelers returning home and risking bringing back the said products, violating the epidemic prevention regulations, AEA Kaohsiung Branch implements Operation Thunder against the second wave of violations of epidemic prevention regulations on February 3. It mobilizes 4 teams to actively enforce 12 cases of violating African Swine Fever and Covid-19 epidemic prevention regulations.

The implementing area of Operation Thunder of Kaohsiung Branch covers 11 districts, including Gangshan District, Qiaotou District, Nanzih District, Renwu District, Qianjin District, Sanmin District, Xinxing District, Fengshan District, Daliao District, Niaosong District, Linyuan District, and Meinong District. The enforcement team in the Qianjin district has seized the real property located on Chunghua 3rd Road, owned by an obligor Wu. He violated the African Swine Fever regulations in the morning of January 29, 2020 after his flight from Hong Kong. He brought back 1 pack of pork sausage bread when entering the country. All pork products should be applied for entry as quarantine items. However, the obligor Wu did not apply for it as a quarantined item when entering the country. After being transferred and fined NTD 200,000 for violation of Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases by Kaohsiung Branch of Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine of the Council of Agriculture,  Executive Yuan, the obligor Wu had applied to the transfer agency for installment payments. After the failure to pay on time, there was still an overdue fine of NTD 130,000 that was not paid and was transferred to the Kaohsiung Branch. Kaohsiung branch seizured the real property owned by the obligor Wu located on Chunghua 3rd Road today. If the obligor Wu does not pay the fine on time, the real property will be later auctioned off.

In addition, the obligors who were present during the enforcement of the operation stated that they would pay the original installment on time. If the economic situation allows, they will pay off the total amount owed initially.

After the Kaohsiung branch started processing the cases of violating African Swine Fever epidemic prevention regulations, the total number of cases was 178. The total performance amount enforced had reached NTD 1,154,836, which has achieved exceptional results.

Kaohsiung Branch urges all citizens to prevent the epidemic together and don't bring any animal quarantine products or purchase animal quarantine products abroad. The public must comply with all government regulations and processes related to epidemic prevention regulations and not hold the mindset of selfishness and negligence. Kaohsiung branch will actively enforce the fine resulted from not paying the overdue payments for violations without any exception. The Branch might also impose restrictions on leaving the country and island or apply arrest and custody to the court when necessary.