Taiwan is on alert as more tourists bring illegal pork into the country

This is a time of an increase in illegal pork smuggling, especially in East Asian countries. As the Lunar New Year approaches on January 22, Taiwanese authorities are reminding people not to bring pork into the country, including Cantonese 'chicken buns', which actually contain pork. In 2022, the amount of illegal pork products brought to Taiwan by international travelers was four times higher than in 2021, reports the Taipei Times. Authorities say 789 kilograms of pork products were illegally imported into Taiwan last year. Of that total, 451 kg were intercepted at Chunghwa Post's international mail department, down 22.4% from 2021, said Agriculture Council Minister Chen Chi-chung, who leads a task force from the central operations focused on preventing the spread of African swine fever (ASF). in the article. Additionally, 202 kg of pork products were brought in by international travellers, while 115 kg were delivered from abroad via express air services, a decrease of 74.5%. ...