Focus Taiwan
Date: 03/01/2020
By: Wu Chia-rung and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, March 1 (CNA) Taiwan's airport officials confiscated 3,020 surgical face masks from a Taiwanese citizen heading to Singapore Feb. 25, the largest single seizure in the country from air travelers since export restrictions were placed on face masks in late January due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Customs Administration said Sunday.

The more than 3,000 masks were found in the check-in luggage of a Taiwanese female who was scheduled to fly to Singapore, a Customs Administration official said.

Inspectors originally found 3,270 face masks in her luggage, exceeding the maximum 250 masks a traveler is allowed to carry out of the country per trip, the official said.

The authorities confiscated 3,020 masks and returned the allowable quota of 250 to the passenger in question, the official added. The seized masks will be redistributed for use in the government's efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.    [FULL  STORY]