Only NT$250K Collected in Meinong Illegal Sand Mining Fines; City Gov Says Remainder Sent for Compulsory Execution
Kaohsiung City Councillor Hsu Tsai-chen questioned the low collection rate of fines for illegal sand mining in Meinong. The city government responded that over NT$60 million in fines have been issued, and all unpaid fines have been sent for compulsory execution.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 22:21
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 22:32 (10 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 23:10 (38 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Lin Chiao-lien, Kaohsiung, 24th) Kuomintang Kaohsiung City Councillor Hsu Tsai-chen questioned the illegal sand mining case in Meinong during a council session on the 23rd, sparking heated discussions over the fact that the city government has only collected NT$250,000 in fines so far. The Kaohsiung City Government stated that all cases of overdue fines have been sent for compulsory execution according to the law.
The Meinong illegal sand mining case has once again drawn public attention. During the city council interpellation yesterday, Hsu Tsai-chen repeatedly asked the Economic Development Bureau how much of the fines had been collected so far. Economic Development Bureau Director-General Liao Tai-hsiang responded that since the establishment of the special task force, regular weekly inspections have been conducted. Regarding the actual fines collected, the collection rate is 2%, amounting to NT$250,000. Criminal syndicates may use dummy heads to rent land or conduct the illegal mining, making it difficult to collect fines from these proxies or lessees.
Hsu Tsai-chen said today that while agricultural land has been excavated into canyons, the city government seems helpless against the offenders. High fines may appear strict but are practically ineffective; if the government only issues tickets for show, it essentially lets the criminals go unpunished, and even higher fines will lack deterrent power.
The Economic Development Bureau stated in a press release that since the illegal activities were discovered starting last year, cases have been handled prudently. Across various bureaus, heavy penalties have been strictly imposed in accordance with the Earth and Stone Extraction Act, the Regional Plan Act, and the Waste Disposal Act. The cases have also been proactively referred to prosecutors for investigation. The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office has already indicted accomplices involved in the theft and illegal occupation of earth and stone, including landowners and behind-the-scenes financiers.
Regarding the backfilling and restoration of the excavated pits, the city government emphasized that it has demanded landowners and other obligated parties to complete the cleanup according to the waste disposal plan and submit an earth backfilling plan within a specified time limit. The city reiterated that the costs of restoring the agricultural land to its original state will not be paid by the taxpayers.
The Economic Development Bureau pointed out that since last year, following notifications from the Police Department or reports from citizens via the 1999 hotline regarding illegal mining in Meinong, 8 sites of agricultural land illegally mined for earth and stone have been investigated. The various city government bureaus have imposed increased penalties totaling over NT$60 million.
The Bureau stated that as of March this year, a total of NT$252,271 in fines has been collected under the "Earth and Stone Extraction Act". For those who have failed to pay their fines on time, the city government has fully referred them to the Administrative Enforcement Agency of the Ministry of Justice to enforce compulsory execution against their assets.
Using the illegal mining case in Xinjiyang, Meinong as an example, the Economic Development Bureau explained that the city government listed the case for monitoring immediately upon discovery in January last year, and imposed a fine of NT$1 million in March. Upon finding the pit had expanded during an inspection in April, the case was proactively referred to the District Prosecutors Office in June under the Regional Plan Act, with an additional fine of NT$2 million. In August, a joint investigation with prosecutors led to the case being referred under the Waste Disposal Act, and the perpetrator was taken into custody last year. In September, increased fines totaling NT$14.3 million were imposed under the Waste Disposal Act, the Earth and Stone Extraction Act, and the Regional Plan Act, bringing the total accumulated fines for the entire case to NT$17.3 million.
The Economic Development Bureau stressed that the city government will absolutely strictly punish and never tolerate any criminal behavior that destroys national land or violates the public interest. Currently, it has teamed up with prosecutors and investigators to conduct massive crackdowns on new forms of sand mining accomplice structures. Simultaneously, it is urging central authorities to amend laws to include criminal liabilities. The Executive Yuan is currently reviewing the draft amendment to the Earth and Stone Extraction Act announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs last October, which proposes to add criminal liabilities of up to 5 years in prison. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150424
(CNA Reporter Lin Chiao-lien, Kaohsiung, 24th) Kuomintang Kaohsiung City Councillor Hsu Tsai-chen questioned the illegal sand mining case in Meinong during a council session on the 23rd, sparking heated discussions over the fact that the city government has only collected NT$250,000 in fines so far. The Kaohsiung City Government stated that all cases of overdue fines have been sent for compulsory execution according to the law.
The Meinong illegal sand mining case has once again drawn public attention. During the city council interpellation yesterday, Hsu Tsai-chen repeatedly asked the Economic Development Bureau how much of the fines had been collected so far. Economic Development Bureau Director-General Liao Tai-hsiang responded that since the establishment of the special task force, regular weekly inspections have been conducted. Regarding the actual fines collected, the collection rate is 2%, amounting to NT$250,000. Criminal syndicates may use dummy heads to rent land or conduct the illegal mining, making it difficult to collect fines from these proxies or lessees.
Hsu Tsai-chen said today that while agricultural land has been excavated into canyons, the city government seems helpless against the offenders. High fines may appear strict but are practically ineffective; if the government only issues tickets for show, it essentially lets the criminals go unpunished, and even higher fines will lack deterrent power.
The Economic Development Bureau stated in a press release that since the illegal activities were discovered starting last year, cases have been handled prudently. Across various bureaus, heavy penalties have been strictly imposed in accordance with the Earth and Stone Extraction Act, the Regional Plan Act, and the Waste Disposal Act. The cases have also been proactively referred to prosecutors for investigation. The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office has already indicted accomplices involved in the theft and illegal occupation of earth and stone, including landowners and behind-the-scenes financiers.
Regarding the backfilling and restoration of the excavated pits, the city government emphasized that it has demanded landowners and other obligated parties to complete the cleanup according to the waste disposal plan and submit an earth backfilling plan within a specified time limit. The city reiterated that the costs of restoring the agricultural land to its original state will not be paid by the taxpayers.
The Economic Development Bureau pointed out that since last year, following notifications from the Police Department or reports from citizens via the 1999 hotline regarding illegal mining in Meinong, 8 sites of agricultural land illegally mined for earth and stone have been investigated. The various city government bureaus have imposed increased penalties totaling over NT$60 million.
The Bureau stated that as of March this year, a total of NT$252,271 in fines has been collected under the "Earth and Stone Extraction Act". For those who have failed to pay their fines on time, the city government has fully referred them to the Administrative Enforcement Agency of the Ministry of Justice to enforce compulsory execution against their assets.
Using the illegal mining case in Xinjiyang, Meinong as an example, the Economic Development Bureau explained that the city government listed the case for monitoring immediately upon discovery in January last year, and imposed a fine of NT$1 million in March. Upon finding the pit had expanded during an inspection in April, the case was proactively referred to the District Prosecutors Office in June under the Regional Plan Act, with an additional fine of NT$2 million. In August, a joint investigation with prosecutors led to the case being referred under the Waste Disposal Act, and the perpetrator was taken into custody last year. In September, increased fines totaling NT$14.3 million were imposed under the Waste Disposal Act, the Earth and Stone Extraction Act, and the Regional Plan Act, bringing the total accumulated fines for the entire case to NT$17.3 million.
The Economic Development Bureau stressed that the city government will absolutely strictly punish and never tolerate any criminal behavior that destroys national land or violates the public interest. Currently, it has teamed up with prosecutors and investigators to conduct massive crackdowns on new forms of sand mining accomplice structures. Simultaneously, it is urging central authorities to amend laws to include criminal liabilities. The Executive Yuan is currently reviewing the draft amendment to the Earth and Stone Extraction Act announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs last October, which proposes to add criminal liabilities of up to 5 years in prison. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150424