Release date：2016/12/12 下午 02:12:35
Update date：2026/4/2 下午 01:41:00
Work Overview
I. Domestic Drug Enforcement Work
1.Drug Enforcement Status
The Bureau investigated 154 drug-related crime cases, brought 296 suspects to justice, seized 8,542.3 kg of drugs, and uncovered 14 drug manufacturing factories in 2024, of which, the Bureau proactively uncovered 31 cases (with a gross weight of 3,021.2 kg of drugs seized), the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance written transferred 114 cases (with a gross weight of 3,950.5 kg of drugs seized), and 9 other cases (with a gross weight of 1,570.6 kg of drug seized) [Also, 2 cases in cooperation with other units, 3 cases in international cooperation, and 4 cases transferred by the prosecutor]. Compared with the 187 drug crime cases investigated in 2023, 323 suspects brought to justice, 4,639.3 kg of drugs seized (excluding 180,600.0 kg of Category 3 drug “Kratom” in transshipment containers seized in one case), and 14 drug manufacturing factories uncovered in 2023, the total quantity of drugs seized increased by 3,903.1 kg (an increase of 84.1%), the number of drug crime cases investigated decreased by 33 cases (a decrease of 17.6%), and the number of suspects brought to justice decreased by 27 persons (a decrease of 8.3%). Although the number of cases investigated decreased in 2024, the total quantity of drugs seized increased significantly, and the number of drug manufacturing factories uncovered remained the same.
2.Focus of Investigation
The major drug-related crime cases were investigated with drugs seized in 2024, including 146.0 kg of heroin, 2.9 kg of cocaine, 1,335.8 kg of marijuana, 14.2 kg of MDMA/MDA, 11.5 kg of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 997.2 kg of methamphetamine (including solution), 2,811.3 kg of ketamine (including solution), 3.5 kg of α-PiHP, 102.2 kg of bro modechloromethylmethacrylate, 24.5 kg of chloromethylmethacrylate, 23.0 kg of sibutramine, 167.1 kg of 2-bromo-4- methylpropiophenone, a precursor material of Category 4 drugs, 316.9 kg of N-Boc-Norketamine, a precursor material of Category 4 drugs, and 2,585.9 kg of 1-methylphenyl-1-propanone, a precursor material of Category 4 drugs. (Table 2-1)
According to the quantity of drugs seized, the drugs that increased significantly in 2024 from 2023 included marijuana for 379.2 kg (an increase of 39.6%), methamphetamine for 261.3 kg (an increase of 35.5%), and ketamine for 836.7 kg (an increase of 42.4%). In particular, marijuana increased by 104.9% in 2023, followed by an increase of 39.6% in 2024, indicating that the proliferation of marijuana is still rising after the pandemic. In addition, N-BocNorketamine (N-Boc), a Category 4 drug precursor material used to produce ketamine, was found with a significant increase of 316.9 kgs. This raises concerns about the potential for mass production of ketamine in Taiwan in the future.
The seized quantity of Category 3 drug “4-methylmethcathinone” and its precursor, the Category 4 drug precursor material “2-bromo-4-methylpropiophenone”, decreased significantly from the previous year. However, 2,585.9 kg of 1-methylphenyl-1-propanone (precursor of 4-methylmethcathinone) were seized. This is a Category 4 drug precursor material used to produce 2-bromo-4-methylpropiophenone. In addition, according to the urine testing of new psychoactive substances performed by the Forensic Science Division of the Bureau, 4-methylmethcathinone and other metabolites were second only to methamphetamine and ketamine, indicating that cathinone drugs are still prevalent,and the types of synthetic drugs have become more diverse and complex, and in a diversified form. They are mixed and packaged into coffee bags, juice bags, rainbow cigarettes (α-PiHP) and candies, among other forms, and circulated in drug trading markets and entertainment venues to lure young people to consume.
Statistics of the number of drug-related crime cases investigated and the quantity of drug seized (gross weight) by the Bureau in 2024
|
Category |
Name |
Cases |
Percentage (%) |
Drug seized (grams) |
Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Category 1 drugs |
Heroin |
31 |
20.1% |
146,020 |
1.7% |
|
Cocaine |
2 |
1.3% |
2,927 |
0.03% |
|
|
Category 2 drugs |
Marijuana | 60 | 39.0% | 1,335,827 | 15.6% |
| MDMA/MDA |
3 |
1.9% |
14,200 |
0.2% |
|
|
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) |
1 |
0.7% |
11,520 |
0.1% |
|
|
Methamphetamine (with solution) |
9 |
5.8% |
997,169 |
11.5% |
|
|
Category 3 drugs |
Ketamine(including solution) |
21(2) |
13.6% |
2,811,279 |
32.9% |
|
3,4-Methylenedioxymethylcathinone |
1 |
0.7% |
200 |
0.002% |
|
|
α-Pyrrolidinophenylisohexanone (α-PiHP) |
1 |
0.7% |
3,540 |
0.04% |
|
|
Bromodechloroketamine |
1 |
0.7% |
102,220 |
1.2% |
|
|
Chloramphenicol |
1 |
0.7% |
24,470 |
0.3% |
|
| 3,4-Methylenedioxyphenylethylaminebuta none (Eutylone) | (1) | - | 100 | 0.001% | |
|
Category 4 drugs |
Sibutramine |
8 |
5.2% |
23,014 |
0.3% |
|
Precursor raw materials Category 4 drugs |
2-Bromo-4-methylpropiophenone |
4(1) |
2.6% |
167,071 |
2.0% |
|
N-Boc-Norketamine (N-Boc) |
3 |
1.9% |
316,870 |
3.7% |
|
| 1-Methylphenyl-1-propanone | 8 | 5.2% | 2,585,910 | 30.3% | |
|
Total |
154 |
100% |
8,542,340 |
100% |
|
Notes:
1. The number of cases marked with Note ( ) and the percentage marked with “-” indicate that the drug was seized together with drugs in other cases (that is, two or more drugs were seized in one criminal case); therefore, it is not included in the number of cases, and only the quantity and percentage of the drug seized are indicated so to avoid the case count in duplication.
2. The weights of drugs in this table are calculated in grams and then rounded up to “kilograms.” Therefore, there may be slight differences between the sum of all items or the calculated percentage and the relevant totals.
II. International and Cross-Strait Cooperation
The global drug problem is worsening, causing severe harm to social security and human health worldwide. Combating drug crimes has been a long-term consensus of the international community. The trend of transnational links in drug crimes has grown day by day in recent years along with the development of globalization, which has forced the judicial authorities of each country to face great challenges and difficulties. Therefore, international cooperation is the key to effectively combating drug crimes.
The Bureau follows government policy and the spirit of the United Nations Convention against Drugs, and actively establishes channels of contact and cooperation with foreign drug enforcement agencies in accordance with the principles of equality, mutual trust, reciprocity, and mutual benefit. Also, 29 legal affairs secretaries are assigned to station in Europe, America, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and other countries. The Bureau also cooperates with Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau for drug enforcement through the mechanism of “Cross-Strait Joint CrimeFighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement.” A total of 308 pieces of intelligence were exchanged with foreign drug enforcement agencies (including Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau), 7 cases were investigated through international cooperation, 27 suspects were arrested, and 5,029.7 kg of methamphetamine, 1,774.1 kg of ketamine, and 7.0 kg of marijuana were seized in 2024.
III. Drug Custody and Handling
The Bureau established the “Confiscated Drugs Storage Facility” on July 15, 1993, in accordance with the “Directions for the Control of Seized Narcotics Processing,” which was approved by the Executive Yuan. This facility was created to store and process drug evidence seized and transferred by judicial and military agencies. The “Directions for the Control of the Seized Narcotics Processing” was amended as “Directions for the Control of the Seized Drugs Processing” after the promulgation of the “Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act” on May 20, 1998. Under these new directions, the drugs for custody and processing were limited to 9 substances in Category 1, such as heroin, morphine, and cocaine, and 8 substances in Category 2, such as opium poppy, coca, and marijuana. In conjunction with the “National Drug ControlˉConference” held every year, drug evidence with a definitive judgement for destruction and drugs that have gone through the process of unsealing, sampling, retaining, and sealing before a final verdict is made in accordance with the “Rules governing the destruction of seized drugs by public prosecutors office before a final verdict” for destruction are destructed publicly, and it is widely publicized through the news media so to enhance the effectiveness of anti-drug efforts.
In addition, the Bureau setup the “Confiscated Drugs Storage Facility” in accordance with the “Directions for handling confiscated drugs by the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau” on December 31, 2020 to uniformly store Category 3 and 4 drugs lawfully confiscated by the Bureau’s field offices upon receiving the disciplinary order of the prosecutors. The aim is to minimize the risk of field offices storing confiscated narcotics and shorten the drug storage time. In addition, in order to ensure the identity of the narcotics evidence waiting to be destroyed, the authenticity and component of the drugs must be re-tested by the Bureau’s Forensic Science Division with Raman scientific instruments before the drugs are destroyed to establish public credibility.
