Seizures of smuggled narcotics, tobacco and agricultural products have made up the majority of recent high-profile public security cases, indicating that domestic demand for these goods is unending, Premier Jiang Yi-huah warned while hosting the Executive Yuan's monthly meeting on public security today.
The premier praised relevant officials for their success in cracking cases and asked the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Council of Agriculture and Coast Guard Administration to deliberate how to make further progress by heading off these problems at their sources.
Following an MOI update and analysis of the state of public security, Jiang stated that total crime, violent crime, theft and fraud cases were more frequent than average in January, a divergence from the prevailing trend of 2013, in which total crime dropped. However, the case resolution rate for every type of crime except fraud increased significantly. The premier asked the National Police Agency to play close attention to these trends, especially the particularly large spikes in theft and armed crime, and strengthen relevant protective measures.
After a briefing by the MOF on implementation and strategy of customs investigations of illegal tobacco imports, the premier noted that over 21.29 million packs of smuggled cigarettes were seized last year. He affirmed the combined efforts of the Customs Administration and judicial and police agencies on this front, saying, "If these cigarettes had entered the market, they would have absolutely influenced national revenues and public health."
In reflection of the risk tobacco presents to citizens' health, many countries are increasing their taxes on the substance. Likewise, in May 2013 the Executive Yuan sent the Legislature draft amendments to the Tobacco and Alcohol Tax Act and the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act to raise the surcharge on tobacco and lower consumption.
"We anticipate that after the tobacco surcharge is raised significantly, the incentive for smuggling the product will increase as well," Jiang warned. "Customs is the gateway to the nation, so the CA must be especially vigilant and conscientiously and proactively implement inspection policies."
The premier asked military, police, prosecutorial, inspection and customs units to continue strengthening relevant intelligence exchanges and collaborative investigations in order to prevent such smuggling from taking place.
Moreover, the joint cases of the CA and the World Customs Organization Regional Intelligence Liaison Office Asia-Pacific (RILO A/P) show that tobacco smuggling is becoming an international undertaking with division of labor across borders, he said. "Our nation's ports must be strictly guarded against this contraband, no matter which country is its intended final destination," Jiang emphasized.
The premier asked the MOF, which has jurisdiction over the CA, to proactively implement and promote information exchanges with foreign customs administrations and the RILO A/P, participate in international cooperation with customs agencies around the globe, and display the ROC's determination to participate in crackdowns on tobacco smuggling together with the rest of the world's societies.
Following a report by the MOI on police investigations into theft, Jiang remarked that the number of such crimes has plummeted 74.8 percent over the last nine years, from approximately 330,000 in 2004 to just over 80,000 in 2013. The resolution rate for theft cases last year, 73.86 percent, was also the best in the past decade. "These figures demonstrate that the MOI's prevention measures and actions have reaped real results and are worthy of recognition," he said.
"Theft is a crime that has a deep emotional impact on citizens and is typically the leading cause of dissatisfaction with local public security agencies," the premier pointed out. He asked the MOI to strengthen collaboration with relevant agencies in accordance with its theft prevention strategies, which he also ordered police units to execute.