Chiayi Fragrance Manufacturer Indicted for Labeling Chinese-made Incense as 'Made in Taiwan'

A fragrance manufacturer based in Chiayi County has been indicted by the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office on charges of fraud and violating commercial regulations. The operator, a 57-year-old man surnamed Chen, was accused of importing ritual incense products from China while falsely labeling the packaging as 'Made in Taiwan' (MIT).

According to the indictment, Chen is the owner of a fragrance factory that regularly imports raw materials and ritual supplies from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. In June of last year, Chen commissioned a customs brokerage firm to import a batch of ritual incense from China. Among the 93 boxes of incense cones declared, 60 boxes bore the counterfeit 'MADE IN TAIWAN' label. Prosecutors allege this was a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers into believing the imported products were locally manufactured.

Following an investigation by the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau, the case was forwarded to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office. While Chen admitted to importing the products, he denied intentional fraud, claiming the labels were printed by his Chinese supplier, 'Xia Yu.' However, he failed to provide evidence to substantiate this claim. Prosecutors determined that the act of mislabeling constitutes a violation of laws protecting commercial interests and fair trade, leading to his formal indictment.