Minister of Justice Shih Mao-lin (施茂林) said yesterday police officers should do more to crack down on drug trafficking and use because such offenses have been closely associated with other criminal activities.
Shih made the remarks while attending a "drug-free homeland" activity organized by the Taipei Prosecutor's Office to mark the June 26 International Anti-Drug Day.
In 2003 and last year, Shih said, more than 8,400kg of contraband drugs were seized around the country. Worse still, he said, 30-plus amphetamine producing facilities were discovered during the same period, indicating that amphetamine production has gradually moved back to Taiwan from China.
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
"Official tallies also show that the number of repeat drug abusers and traffickers has been steadily rising," Shih said, adding that law enforcement agencies should strengthen cooperation in cracking down on drug-related crimes.
In addition, Shih said he is hopeful that community volunteers, school teachers and administrators as well as media outlets can launch a joint publicity campaign to help the public understand the dangers drugs pose to human health, social order and even national security.
Since many Taiwanese drug traffickers are believed to be hiding in China, Shih urged Beijing to intensify investigations into its domestic drug trade and cooperate with Taiwan to thwart drug trafficking across the Taiwan Strait.
"China should set aside its political ideology and cooperate with Taiwan to stamp out drug-related crime for the sake of protecting public health and social order," he said.
Shih's appeal for a redoubled crackdown on drug crime came two days after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said drug abuse is not just a personal moral issue but has become an issue crucial to public order, social stability, public health and national security.
During his meeting with individual volunteers and social groups that have made outstanding contributions to the anti-drug campaign over the past year, Chen said many crimes are related to drugs.
"With drug use on the increase, new ecstasy shipment arriving and the number of repeat drug abusers and traffickers rising steadily, drug-related crime has become rampant," Chen said, adding that drug abuse has also become a major cause behind the rise in the number of people affected with HIV in Taiwan.
Against this backdrop, Chen said he hopes individual volunteers and interest groups will continue their efforts in assisting the government in eradicating drug trafficking and abuse.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as