The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday confirmed that more than 830,000 nonmedical-grade masks were seized at customs for being falsely labeled as being made in Taiwan.
Tsai Shou-chuan (蔡壽洤), head of the center’s supply division, said that customs conducted batch-by-batch inspections on imported masks from Aug. 10 to Friday, and 577 batches of nonmedical-grade masks — a total of about 838,320 masks — were seized for false labeling.
The Bureau of Foreign Trade would fine those responsible, while prosecutors would investigate and decide whether the masks should be returned or destroyed, he said.
Photo: CNA
The seizure comes after the owner of New Taipei City-based mask supplier Carry Hi-tech Co (加利科技) was last week accused of importing more than 3 million nonmedical-grade masks from China and selling them through the government’s mask rationing system as medical masks made in Taiwan.
Asked if importers of the seized masks included local mask suppliers of medical masks for the government’s mask rationing system, Tsai said they did, and that an investigation report would be released in two weeks.
However, the center later said that his response was “a slip of the tongue,” and that the center has not yet confirmed whether suppliers for the government’s mask rationing system were involved.
As for people who bought masks with the “Carry mask” logo imprinted on them, the case is being investigated by the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office.
The center had announced that people who had bought Carry Hi-tech masks through the rationing system could exchange them at pharmacies from Friday.
Tsai yesterday said that more than 530,000 Carry Hi-tech masks were exchanged on Friday and another 743,202 were exchanged on Saturday, bringing the total number of recalled Carry Hi-tech masks to 1,279,177 in the first two days.
More than 1.19 million Carry Hi-tech masks, or 90 percent, were recalled in New Taipei City, he added.
Meanwhile, the center yesterday reported an imported case of COVID-19 — a Taiwanese man who had returned from the Philippines.
The man, who is in his 40s, works and lives in the Philippines, and returned to Taiwan alone on Thursday, center spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
The man began experiencing a fever, sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and sore muscles on Tuesday last week, but did not seek medical attention, he said.
Chuang said the man reported that a Filipino friend who lives with him had tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
The man had informed the airline personnel about his condition before boarding the plane, and wore a mask and protective clothing throughout the flight, he said, adding that his first test result taken at the airport came back negative.
As the man continued to experience shortness of breath and chest tightness during his stay at a centralized quarantine facility, he was tested again and the test came back positive yesterday, making him the nation’s 493rd confirmed case, Chuang said.
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,
As eight basketball-playing international students appealed to the Taiwanese basketball industry after they were excluded from the draft of an upcoming new league merging the P.League+ and the T1 League, the new league’s preparatory committee spokesperson Chang Shu-jen (張樹人) yesterday said the committee would tomorrow discuss the supplementary measures and whether the international students can join the draft. The students on Tuesday called for support on their right to play in the upcoming new league, after a merger involving the two leagues impacted their eligibility for the draft. The international players from the University Basketball Association (UBA), led by first pick prospect