Taoyuan: Eleven individuals have been indicted in Taoyuan for allegedly collecting, storing, and processing waste without a license to support an operation that was illegally exporting the waste, local prosecutors said Monday. The Northern Center of Environmental Management under the Ministry of Environment's Environmental Management Administration tipped off the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office to the illegal operation, believed to have begun in March 2023, prosecutors said in a statement.
According to Focus Taiwan, during searches on February 7, 2025, investigative authorities uncovered around 5,549 metric tons of plastic waste in storage across three plants in Xinwu and Zhongli districts. Officials from the Ministry of Environment revealed this information at a press conference held at one of the factories in Xinwu on Monday. Additionally, investigators discovered that 5,832 metric tons of waste had already been shipped overseas, and NT$394.79 million (US$12.17 million) was confiscated as suspected illegal gains.
Six companies involved in the unlicensed waste operations will face fines up to NT$10 million each, as announced by Deputy Environment Minister Shen Chih-hsiu during the press conference. The 11 individuals indicted face charges related to operating landfills and the unlicensed storing, processing, and disposing of waste, carrying potential penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of NT$15 million.
Deputy Justice Minister Hsu Hsi-hsiang stated that since 2011, the Ministry of Environment, prosecutors, and police have been part of a cooperative alliance tackling violations of environmental protection laws. Over the past 14 years, the alliance has effectively utilized technology and specialized divisions to address environmental crimes. Prosecutors have not only seized illegal gains but have also assessed the restoration of illegal waste sites to decide on advocating for suspended sentences.