Premier Lai Ching-te today headed a group of Executive Yuan officials to inspect the coast guard base at the port of Taipei as part of his tour of Taiwan's new-generation anti-drug strategy. Reiterating the government's determination to seize drugs and fight illicit narcotics, the premier said that members of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) should take a personal stake in their service and remain vigilant in defending the nation on the seas.
The CGA seized more than 5,000 kilograms of narcotics in 2017, and this year as of January 16 had already stopped some 150 kilograms from entering Taiwan. Premier Lai praised coast guard personnel for their effectiveness and a job well done.
Anti-drug efforts require cooperation among all the Executive Yuan's responsible ministries and agencies, emphasized the premier, especially among the coast guard, prosecutors, police, investigators, military police and customs.
Efforts must also extend beyond Taiwan's borders to include cooperation with other nations such as Japan, the U.S., China and the countries of Southeast Asia. Only through sharing information will law enforcement be able to fulfill the full mission of interdicting illicit shipments before they enter Taiwan, stopping them at ports of entry, and seizing any drugs that are found within the nation's borders. Premier Lai said that effectively combating drugs requires the CGA to stay on top of the situation and work with intensity and initiative to investigate any leads and follow up on all intelligence.