Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/01
By: Yang Su-min and Chung Yu-chen
Photo courtesy of BAPHIQ
Taipei, March 1 (CNA) A visitor from Vietnam, an African swine fever (ASF)-affected country, was repatriated Wednesday after failing to pay a fine for attempting to bring pork products into Taiwan.
According to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ), the Vietnamese national was fined NT$200,000 (US$6,488) for failing to declare sticky rice dumplings at customs.
The woman, who arrived at Taichung Airport in central Taiwan on Wednesday and repatriated the same day, is the first visitor to be repatriated since Taiwan expanded penalties on Feb. 15 against travelers who bring pork products into the country from Vietnam, said BAPHIQ.
The pork dumplings will be tested for ASF after the 228 Peace Memorial Day long-weekend holiday, BAPHIQ official Peng Ming-hsing (彭明興) said, adding the result is expected within 2 days.
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