TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung police arrested 60 individuals last month for allegedly selling and using illegal drugs at a restaurant.
At a news conference on Tuesday (Dec. 3), Kaohsiung police said the apprehended individuals included employees, bar girls, and customers at the restaurant, per CNA. Of the 60 individuals, 34 were Taiwanese, nine were Chinese, and 17 were Vietnamese, including five undocumented migrant workers.
A police task force raided the popular eatery in Pingtung’s Ligang Township in the early morning of Nov. 26. Police became aware of the eatery’s illegal activities through similar cases involving drug sales, and they monitored the venue for months before securing a search warrant.
Police seized a bottle of category II drug etomidate, 330 packets of category III drug cathinone, three packets of category III narcotic ketamine, and 14 ketamine-laced cigarettes. Officers also confiscated approximately NT$480,000 in cash.
The five individuals running the operation, a female manager surnamed Su (蘇), a hostess surnamed Huang (黃), a man surnamed Hsieh (謝), and two employees, were taken to Pingtung District Prosecutors Office. They will be charged for allegedly breaking the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.