Lawyer Gets Suspended Sentence for Leaking Secrets While Defending Drug Traffickers

(CNA, Taipei, June 30) A lawyer surnamed Ding, who defended members of an international drug trafficking group, was found to have leaked secrets, allowing the criminal organization to evade investigation. The first trial sentenced Ding to 9 months in prison, suspended for 3 years. The High Court today rejected the appeal, and Ding's suspended sentence is final.

The first trial at the Shilin District Court ruled that a defendant surnamed Zhang, a member of the international drug trafficking group, rented a residential property in Keelung as a base for packaging and selling drugs. Because another associate of the group, surnamed Yang, was ordered by the court to be detained and barred from seeing visitors in a separate case, group members sought to ascertain if Yang had revealed information about his suppliers. With Zhang's assistance, they arranged for lawyer Ding to represent Yang.

According to the verdict, after agreeing, Ding accompanied Yang during police questioning and made a legal visit to Yang at the Taipei Detention Center in April 2025. During these interactions, Ding learned of investigation secrets held by the prosecution and police, including the location of Yang's drug supply source, evidence of drug sales, and communication records related to drug trafficking stored on the mobile phones of relevant individuals.

The verdict stated that Ding hand-wrote the gist of the investigation secrets on paper and gave it to Zhang. Zhang then took photos and sent them to other group members. This allowed the group members to learn that their drug trafficking base had been targeted by the prosecution and police. On May 15, 2025, they moved the drug trafficking base, resulting in the police finding no contraband when they searched the premises on June 18 of the same year.

The first trial panel found that Ding leaked investigation secrets obtained while acting as a defense counsel, hindering criminal investigations. The timing of Ding's leak of investigation secrets was closely related to the time other group members moved their drug trafficking base, which directly affected the police's search operation at the drug trafficking base and obstructed criminal justice investigations. The degree of harm caused to criminal investigations was not minor and warranted condemnation.

In its judgment, the first trial panel considered Ding's confession after the crime and took into account his motives and all other circumstances. He was convicted of jointly committing the crime of leaking secrets not related to national defense by a non-public official, sentenced to 9 months in prison, suspended for 3 years. During the suspension, he was placed under protective supervision, ordered to pay NT$800,000 to the public treasury, and to provide 60 hours of community service to designated government agencies and other organizations. The case was appealed to the second trial, heard by the Taiwan High Court, which today rejected the appeal, making Ding's suspended sentence final.

In addition, regarding defendant Zhang and another accomplice surnamed Liu, the first trial convicted them of jointly committing crimes including transporting second-class drugs and sentenced Zhang to 10 years in prison and Liu to 7 years and 8 months. The illicit gains of NT$200,000 that were not seized were confiscated. The High Court found the sentencing in the original trial to be appropriate and rejected the appeals today. This part of the ruling is still subject to further appeal. (Editor: Hsiao Po-wen) 1150630

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "First News" APP to get the latest news in real-time

This website's text, images, and videos may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.