A man from Xiamen, China has been deported and banned from entering Taiwan for five years after he was caught bringing six pork floss buns into the country.
The 60-year-old visitor, surnamed Dong (name transliterated), had tucked the buns, which weighed 1kg in total, into his luggage while travelling to Kinmen Islands on a ferry.
Source: United Daily News
Customs officials at the baggage check station spotted the prohibited items during an X-ray scan on 19 Sept at around noon.
When caught, Mr Dong — who had been travelling with his mother and brother — insisted he did not know that visitors are not allowed to bring meat products into Taiwan, as per the Animal Disease Control Act.
Unable to pay the fine, the man was deported immediately back to Xiamen and hit with a five-year entry ban, reports Taiwan’s United Daily News.
Source: United Daily News
According to Mr Dong, his mother had told them to buy a few buns to eat en route.
He clarified that they did not realise the buns contained pork floss.
The mother and brother also allegedly tried to eat the buns and argued with quarantine officers.
Authorities stressed that meat, meat products, and processed foods containing meat are strictly forbidden when entering Kinmen from Xiamen.
Pork products, in particular, are banned to keep African Swine Fever (ASF) out of Taiwan.
If caught bringing any type of pork products into the country, first-time offenders are liable to a NT$200,000 (~S$8,400) fine.
Also read: Japanese tourists deported from China for taking photo with exposed buttocks at Great Wall
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Featured image adapted from United News Daily.