Taipei leaders pledge to crack down on those trying to sell masks, hand sanitizers in crane games

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/02/03
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei's leaders have condemned people trying to sell surgical masks and disinfectants in claw machines and are warning of swift punishment for those caught in the act.

As face masks and hand sanitizers remain in short supply amid fears over the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, Taipei City Councilor Chen I-chun (陳怡君) has spotted crane games hawking the items. She has asked the Taipei City Office of Commerce, Taipei Department of Health, and other relevant units to crack down on vendors.

Chen Yi-ting (陳怡婷), head of the Taipei Department of Health, said that if a hand sanitizer product has a medical equipment license number, it is considered medical equipment. If such an item were placed in a crane game, it would constitute a violation of Article 27 of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法) and would result in a fine ranging between NT$30,000 (US$989) and NT$2 million in accordance with Article 92 of the same law.

Chen said that she had investigated more than 40 claw machine shops in Taipei and found that many of them were selling antibacterial hand wipes, reported Liberty Times. She said that given the insatiable demand for disinfectant products, she suspects that many of these claw machine shops are hoarding the products and selling them at exorbitant prices.    [FULL  STORY]