The National Security Bureau cigarette smuggling scandal continues to snowball. Prosecutors interrogated 10 bureau personnel including Wu Tsung-hsien and Chang Heng-chia; afterwards, both of them were detained on multiple charges including corruption and violations of the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act. As Wu handed over a list of 50 people who placed orders for the smuggled cigarettes, prosecutors are now investigating a collective crime within the bureau and are tracing their way up the ranks. If necessary, implicated government agencies may be searched.


The National Security Bureau cigarette smuggling scandal continues to snowball. On the 22nd, eight suspects from the NSB were released on NT$200,000 to NT$500,000 bail after being interrogated by prosecutors. Two others, Wu Tsung-hsien and Chang Heng-chia, were detained. Wu provided prosecutors with a list of 50 people who placed orders for the smuggled cigarettes. The vast majority were NSB and military personnel. No Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel were implicated. Prosecutors believe this may be a collective crime and are trying to determine how far up it goes within the NSB. The scandal, which involved President Tsai Ing-wen's security entourage smuggling 9,800 cartons of cigarettes into Taiwan upon return from an overseas tour, was exposed by New Power Party lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang. On the 24th, Huang blasted Transportation and Communications Minister Lin Chia-lung for "coddling" China Airlines. The ministry said it would send Deputy Minister Wang Kwo-tsai to China Airlines to learn more.

If we continue to coddle China Airlines and continue to make excuses for China Airlines, our national system, and our country's standard should not and cannot be thrown by the wayside just because of how rotten China Airlines is.

According to media reports, the parties involved are trying to deflect blame by saying the practice started in 2014 during the Ma Ying-jeou administration and the volume of smuggled cigarettes increased from 300 cartons during Ma's tenure to close to 10,000 under Tsai. Ma's office has refuted the claims.

[The Tsai administration] needs to investigate how their people tried to (smuggle in) 9,800 (cartons of cigarettes) and take accountability for what happened. They also need to release the names of all the people involved. The public won't be fooled by their attempt to deflect responsibility by blaming a previous administration.

With prosecutors believing cigarette smuggling during presidential tours is a long-term practice, the Control Yuan is preparing to launch its own investigation once prosecutors wrap up their investigation.

The most important thing is -- smuggling -- what is now described as smuggling is commonplace and overseas trips by the president are used as an opportunity to smuggle things. It's unbelievable and unreasonable no matter how you look at it.

The Control Yuan says it will ask the NSB for a written report listing those involved. Control Yuan member Wang Mei-yu says any civil servants appearing on the list of 50 names provided by Wu will be thoroughly investigated.



國安局人員吳宗憲和張恒嘉等的私菸案涉案人，22號經檢方複訊，包括司機等涉案8人，諭知20萬到50萬交保，吳、張兩人則遭到聲押。檢方從吳宗憲當庭供出50人團購名單，發現團購者多為國安體系的軍職人員，無外交部人員，懷疑國安局官員可能涉及集體犯案，案情不排除向上發展。而揭露全案的時代力量力委黃國昌，上午持續砲轟交通部長林佳龍，縱容華航。面對黃國昌高分貝砲轟，交通部最快中午，派次長王國材進駐華航，進行內部了解。

時力立委 黃國昌表示：「如果啦，我們要繼續包庇華航的話，還要繼續幫華航文過飾非的話，這個國家的制度，不能夠因為華航的擺爛，整個國家應該要有的規範，全部都棄之如敝屣。」

而私菸風暴還牽扯出前朝，有平面媒體報導，國安人員團購私菸數量，從2014年、前總統馬英九時期的不到3百條，5年來，到總統蔡英文出訪，竟攀升到9千多條，但遭到馬英九辦公室駁斥。

馬英九辦公室執行長 蕭旭岑表示：「這次的9800(條私菸)的事情，他們應該要趕快查清楚，給個交代，應該也要公布所謂的團購名單，這才是正辦嘛！把責任都推給前朝，我想國人也看不下去。」

由於檢調認為，利用總統專機出訪機會，團購免稅私菸的事，早已成為國安人員的陋習，監委高涌誠、王美玉已籌備立案調查，目前先不干擾檢調偵辦，並且讓行政機關進行內部調查，監察院再進行整體調查。

監委 王美玉表示：「最重要的是說，走私啦，現在被形容叫走私這麼多，而且是藉由總統的專機出訪的期間，這個做法，濫權到讓大家覺得不可思議，我想於法於情於理，都不合。」

至於有哪些部會或官員涉及團購?監察院表示，會委請國安局提出書面報告說明。王美玉強調，對於50人團購名單，只要是公務人員涉及不法，一定會調查到底。