TAIPEI: The Aviation Police Bureau and Taipei Customs announced here the other day that they have intercepted nearly 2.5 kilograms of heroin in luggage belonging to a suspect entering Taiwan from Thailand.
The suspect, a Taiwanese national surnamed Wu, admitted that he had attempted to smuggle the schedule-one controlled substance into Taiwan via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in exchange for NT$300,000 (US$9,457).
A routine X-ray scan of arriving luggage at around 6:00 p.m. that day revealed the cache of an unidentified powder substance in a hidden compartment of a suitcase belonging to Wu, said the police.
A closer examination uncovered 2,473 grams of heroin estimated to have a street value of NT$30 million.
Wu admitted to the police that a friend of his had arranged a supplier in Thailand to provide him with the drugs to smuggle back into Taiwan.
He said that he was given a stipend of NT$20,000 to travel to Thailand and was promised NT$300,000 after successfully bringing the drugs into the island.
Aviation police said that the suspect has been turned over to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office, and investigations will continue to look into organizations involved in the foiled smuggling operation.
