Heroin Hidden in Potato Starch Biscuit Cans Smuggled into Taiwan, Taiwan-Malaysia Jointly Break Cross-Border Drug Chain

Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) received a tip from Malaysia's Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) about a drug trafficking group suspected of sending a member, a Malaysian national surnamed Lin, to Taiwan. Lin was allegedly transporting drugs. After Lin arrived in Taiwan, the CIB, in collaboration with the Yonghe Precinct of the New Taipei City Police Department and the Taipei City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division, formed a task force and, under the direction of the Shilin District Prosecutor's Office, began surveillance on Lin's movements. Investigations revealed Lin had recruited a Taiwanese national surnamed Huang in Malaysia as a subordinate for drug transport. In late November, instructed by higher-ups in the group, Lin handed over heroin concealed in eight cans of potato starch biscuits to Huang in a restaurant parking lot in Kepong district, Kuala Lumpur. The first-class heroin weighed 4314.34 grams with 76.24% purity, valued at approximately NT$40 million. Huang subsequently flew to Taiwan with the drugs as carry-on luggage. Lin flew to Taiwan the following day and checked into a four-star hotel in Taipei's Shilin district. They met at the hotel lobby for the exchange, after which Lin extracted the heroin, divided it into bags, and discarded the empty cans in a public trash bin outside the hotel. The task force apprehended Lin at his hotel on the evening of December 4th, seizing four bags of heroin, residue bags, a hammer, and a scale. On the same evening, Taiwanese suspect Chiu, who met Lin at the hotel to pick up the drugs, was also arrested. Huang was apprehended the following day. All three suspects have been transferred for prosecution on charges of transporting first-class drugs. The CIB stated that this case demonstrates the results of real-time intelligence exchange and joint investigation between Taiwan and Malaysia, and will continue to deepen cooperation with international law enforcement agencies to enhance capabilities in combating cross-border crime and preventing drugs from entering the country.