With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, mooncakes and various gifts are frequently exchanged. Taichung Customs reminds the public not to bring pork products into Taiwan when returning from abroad or to purchase online or send pork-derived products to Taiwan from African swine fever (ASF)-affected areas, to avoid violating the law and incurring hefty fines, and to help protect Taiwan’s livestock industry and food safety.
Taichung Customs stated that the period leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival is the peak season for detecting illicit pork-derived products. Over the past year, Taichung Customs has intercepted 47 cases involving a total of 19.373 kilograms of illegally imported pork and pork-containing products. These products were mostly found concealed in passengers’ hand luggage, express consignments, or postal parcels. They included sausages, cured pork, pork jerky, meat-containing pastries (such as pork floss pastries and meat-containing mooncakes), and vacuum-packed meat snacks. As African swine fever outbreaks have not yet fully subsided worldwide and affected areas continue to change, Customs will continue to use big data analysis to strengthen risk management and border inspections and conduct targeted checks on high-risk routes and suspicious parcels.
Taichung Customs pointed out that, to prevent African swine fever from entering Taiwan, Customs continues to implement various border quarantine measures. For incoming passengers’ luggage, express consignments, and postal parcels from ASF-affected areas—including mainland China (including Hong Kong and Macao), Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore—Customs conducts x-ray screening on all incoming items and intensified physical examinations. Customs also works closely with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, to strengthen border security and cross-border transmission.
Taichung Customs once again urges the public not to carry, post, or order pork-derived delicacies from affected areas, including mooncakes, sausages, pork jerky, and other meat products. Violators will be referred to the competent authority for penalties in accordance with the Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases and may be liable to a maximum fine of NT$1 million. Taichung Customs emphasized that disease control relies heavily on public cooperation. The public is urged to comply with the relevant regulations and help maintain Taiwan’s ASF-free status so that everyone can enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival with peace of mind.
Contact Information:
Mr. Weng, Inspection Division
Tel: 04-26575976 ext. 101
