TAIPEI (Taiwan News)— The United States sent US$7 million (NT$226 million) in criminally confiscated assets to Taiwan after the two sides cooperated on a cross-border drug trafficking and money laundering case. 

In 2022, Taiwan seized US$16 million in criminal assets from drug trafficking and money laundering cases, per CNA. It sent the money to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), following the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act established between the two countries in 1991.

Taiwan's Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said the US government thanked it for its assistance in fighting cross-border money laundering. The division of the proceeds from the seized assets entailed two years of negotiations between the US DOJ, US Department of State, US Department of the Treasury, US Department of Homeland Security, Taiwan's MOJ, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. 

In August, the US returned 50% of the value of the confiscated assets to Taiwan. The amount totaled approximately US$7 million, after deducting handling fees and victim compensation costs. 

This marks the first instance the US and Taiwan have shared the earnings of criminally confiscated assets under the bilateral judicial agreement, according to the MOJ. "This case is outstanding evidence of the firm commitment of Taiwan and the US to bilateral criminal-judicial mutual assistance," the MOJ added.