AFRICAN SWINE FEVER: The Chinese man was asked to return to Hong Kong after failing to immediately pay a NT$200,000 fine for illegally importing 120g of sausages
Taipei Times
Date: Jan 27, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
A Chinese traveler has been denied entry into Taiwan after he failed to pay a NT$200,000
A credit card reader used to process payment from foreign visitors who have been fined for illegally importing pork products from areas affected by African swine fever is pictured at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
(US$6,488) fine for illegally importing pork products, the first case since the new policy took effect on Friday, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said.
People caught illegally importing pork products from areas affected over the past three years by outbreaks of African swine fever face a fine of NT$200,000 for the first offense and NT$1 million for repeat offenses after the council raised the fines on Dec. 18 last year.
From Friday, foreign visitors would be rejected entry into the nation if they fail to pay the fines, the council said, citing Article 18 of the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法), which empowers the National Immigration Agency (NIA) to deny entry to those who pose a risk to the nation’s public security or interests.
The first foreign visitor denied entry under the policy was a Chinese man who flew from Hong Kong and arrived at Kaohsiung International Airport at about 6pm on Friday, it said.
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