Taiwan Ciaotou District   Prosecutors Office   Press Release
Issue Date: July 15, 2026
Contributor: Yu-Shan Yan ,Deputy Chief Prosecutor

Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office Cracks International Drug Trafficking Case Involving French National; 101 Heroin Capsules Seized and Detention Approved.

The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office recently received intelligence that members of a drug trafficking syndicate intended to smuggle narcotics into Taiwan using "body packing," a method in which drug capsules are swallowed by air passengers for internal transport. Recognizing the severity of the case, Chief Prosecutor Kuo Ching-Tung immediately assigned the Narcotics Task Force, led by Division Chief Prosecutor Shih Chia-Jung and Prosecutor Liu Wei-Che, to investigate. A joint task force was formed with the Criminal Investigation Division of the Kaohsiung City Police Department, the Zuoying Precinct of the Kaohsiung City Police Department, and the Criminal Investigation Division of the New Taipei City Police Department.

The task force identified a French national, surnamed D, who had arrived on a flight from Thailand, suspected of swallowing heroin capsules and concealing them in his gastrointestinal tract before entering Taiwan. The task force quickly obtained his flight information and apprehended the suspect upon his arrival in Taiwan on July 7, 2026 (Republic of China Year 115), escorting him to the Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital for a medical examination. The examination confirmed the presence of a large quantity of heroin capsules concealed within his body.

With the assistance of the hospital's medical team, it took five days for the suspect to safely expel all capsules. A total of 101 heroin capsules were recovered, with a gross weight of 1,403.8 grams. The seized heroin has an estimated street value exceeding NT$20 million.

After being interrogated overnight by Prosecutor Liu Wei-Che, the suspect was brought before the court, which, on July 12, 2026, granted the prosecutors' application for his detention with a ban on visits and correspondence.

Chief Prosecutor Kuo Ching-Tung emphasized that body packing is an extremely dangerous method of drug trafficking. Should a capsule rupture inside the body, the sudden absorption of a massive quantity of narcotics into the bloodstream within a short period could result in sudden death, making the risk extremely high. He further noted that heroin poses severe risks to physical and mental health; users can develop intense psychological and physical dependence in a very short time, making addiction difficult to overcome and causing lifelong harm. Accordingly, heroin is classified as a Category I controlled narcotic under Taiwanese law, and the offense of transporting such substances carries penalties of up to and including the death penalty. The Chief Prosecutor cautioned anyone who might be tempted to engage in such activity not to test the limits of the law.

The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office also stated that it will continue to work closely with police, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, the Coast Guard Administration, and Customs authorities to vigorously combat drug trafficking, drug-impaired driving, and related crimes, and to intercept illicit drugs at the border, in order to safeguard the health and safety of the public.

News NO:2026071501