Crackdown on Smuggling and Illegal Immigration Traces Hardware Modifications; Kuan Bi-ling: Proposed Heavier Penalties for Illegal Shipyards
Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council Chairperson, Kuan Bi-ling, announced strengthened measures against illegal vessel modifications used for smuggling and illegal immigration. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications plans to revise relevant laws to impose heavier penalties on illegally modified vessels and extend punishment to shipyards undertaking such modifications. This aims to proactively prevent the misuse of vessels and significantly enhance maritime surveillance capabilities.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 4, 2026 at 17:07
- 🔍 Collected: May 4, 2026 at 17:31 (24 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 4, 2026 at 17:34 (2 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Hung Hsueh-kuang, Kaohsiung, 4th) To combat smuggling and illegal immigration, Kuan Bi-ling, Chairperson of the Ocean Affairs Council, stated that illegally modified vessels have become potential criminal tools. In recent years, successful crackdowns have been carried out through joint inspection mechanisms, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will also revise laws to impose heavier penalties for illegally modified vessels, expanding punishment to include shipyards that undertake the modifications.
The 71st meeting of the Executive Yuan's Anti-Smuggling and Illegal Immigration Contact Conference was held today. Convenor Kuan Bi-ling stated that smuggling and illegal immigration crimes often do not start at sea; vessels become potential criminal tools the moment they are illegally modified and equipped with hidden compartments. In recent years, the Ocean Affairs Council, through the contact conference platform, has promoted the establishment of a "Joint Inspection Cooperation Mechanism for Investigating and Handling Vessel Modifications" involving the Maritime and Port Bureau, Fisheries Agency, Coast Guard Administration, and relevant agencies.
The joint inspection mechanism involves the Coast Guard Administration assisting in collecting lists of suspected illegally modified vessels, which are then inspected by competent authorities such as the Maritime and Port Bureau. In 2025 (Republic of China year 114), joint inspections of 14 vessels uncovered 7 cases of illegal modifications, a detection rate of 50%, indicating a significantly high density of illegal modifications among suspected high-risk vessels. The government will also combine relevant legal systems to mandate the installation of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on small boats and yachts, strengthening prevention from the source.
The Ocean Affairs Council issued a press release explaining that the vessel joint inspection mechanism has gradually evolved from initial "disclosure of illegally modified vessel information" to "inter-agency substantive inspections" where the Coast Guard Administration collects information on suspected illegally modified vessels and competent authorities like the Maritime and Port Bureau conduct inspections. To date, a total of 175 vessels have been randomly inspected, uncovering 44 cases of illegal modifications, including many highly concealed hydraulic hidden compartments.
Regarding the situation where some illicit individuals use relatively loosely regulated small boats or yachts as criminal tools, the Ocean Affairs Council, the Maritime and Port Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Fisheries Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Coast Guard Administration have repeatedly discussed "vessel source management" at the contact conference to enhance maritime target transparency. They have successfully promoted revisions to the "Small Boat Inspection and Measurement Regulations" and the "Yacht Management Regulations," requiring small boats and yachts to be equipped with AIS.
The relevant regulations were revised and promulgated on January 16 and January 28 of this year, respectively, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will announce the effective date soon. After the new system is implemented, the real-time identification and monitoring capabilities of maritime authorities and maritime law enforcement agencies for vessels at sea will be significantly enhanced. By precisely grasping vessel movements, proactive strikes against abnormal routes or suspected illegal activities can be launched to prevent issues before they arise.
Kuan Bi-ling said that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is also simultaneously pushing for amendments to the Shipping Act to increase penalties for illegally modified vessels and to expand the scope of punishment to include shipyards that undertake the modifications. This aims to strengthen supervision from the hardware modification stage and increase deterrence. The government will continue to enhance maritime surveillance and intelligence integration, using rule of law as the foundation and technology as the backing, to ensure national border security and protect Taiwan's prosperity and stability. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150504
Stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency reporter Hung Hsueh-kuang, Kaohsiung, 4th) To combat smuggling and illegal immigration, Kuan Bi-ling, Chairperson of the Ocean Affairs Council, stated that illegally modified vessels have become potential criminal tools. In recent years, successful crackdowns have been carried out through joint inspection mechanisms, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will also revise laws to impose heavier penalties for illegally modified vessels, expanding punishment to include shipyards that undertake the modifications.
The 71st meeting of the Executive Yuan's Anti-Smuggling and Illegal Immigration Contact Conference was held today. Convenor Kuan Bi-ling stated that smuggling and illegal immigration crimes often do not start at sea; vessels become potential criminal tools the moment they are illegally modified and equipped with hidden compartments. In recent years, the Ocean Affairs Council, through the contact conference platform, has promoted the establishment of a "Joint Inspection Cooperation Mechanism for Investigating and Handling Vessel Modifications" involving the Maritime and Port Bureau, Fisheries Agency, Coast Guard Administration, and relevant agencies.
The joint inspection mechanism involves the Coast Guard Administration assisting in collecting lists of suspected illegally modified vessels, which are then inspected by competent authorities such as the Maritime and Port Bureau. In 2025 (Republic of China year 114), joint inspections of 14 vessels uncovered 7 cases of illegal modifications, a detection rate of 50%, indicating a significantly high density of illegal modifications among suspected high-risk vessels. The government will also combine relevant legal systems to mandate the installation of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on small boats and yachts, strengthening prevention from the source.
The Ocean Affairs Council issued a press release explaining that the vessel joint inspection mechanism has gradually evolved from initial "disclosure of illegally modified vessel information" to "inter-agency substantive inspections" where the Coast Guard Administration collects information on suspected illegally modified vessels and competent authorities like the Maritime and Port Bureau conduct inspections. To date, a total of 175 vessels have been randomly inspected, uncovering 44 cases of illegal modifications, including many highly concealed hydraulic hidden compartments.
Regarding the situation where some illicit individuals use relatively loosely regulated small boats or yachts as criminal tools, the Ocean Affairs Council, the Maritime and Port Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Fisheries Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Coast Guard Administration have repeatedly discussed "vessel source management" at the contact conference to enhance maritime target transparency. They have successfully promoted revisions to the "Small Boat Inspection and Measurement Regulations" and the "Yacht Management Regulations," requiring small boats and yachts to be equipped with AIS.
The relevant regulations were revised and promulgated on January 16 and January 28 of this year, respectively, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will announce the effective date soon. After the new system is implemented, the real-time identification and monitoring capabilities of maritime authorities and maritime law enforcement agencies for vessels at sea will be significantly enhanced. By precisely grasping vessel movements, proactive strikes against abnormal routes or suspected illegal activities can be launched to prevent issues before they arise.
Kuan Bi-ling said that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is also simultaneously pushing for amendments to the Shipping Act to increase penalties for illegally modified vessels and to expand the scope of punishment to include shipyards that undertake the modifications. This aims to strengthen supervision from the hardware modification stage and increase deterrence. The government will continue to enhance maritime surveillance and intelligence integration, using rule of law as the foundation and technology as the backing, to ensure national border security and protect Taiwan's prosperity and stability. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150504
Stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.