Travel agencies, tour guides to be punished for members carrying meat into Taiwan

團員違規攜帶肉品入台，旅行社、領隊將被罰款

Violators could be fined a maximum of NT$150,000 under current rules


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Travel agencies and tour guides will be held accountable if tour members are caught bringing contraband meat products into Taiwan, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said Jan. 28.

Attending a briefing on the country’s preparedness against African swine fever on Monday, Su instructed the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to draft plans regarding penalties to be imposed on travel agencies and guides for such violations, in a move to further prevent the disease from entering the country, reports CNA.

As stipulated by Article 53 of the Act for the Development of Tourism (觀光發展條例), operators of travel enterprises who contravene national interest are subject to fines between NT$30,000 (US$965) and NT$150,000 (US$4,827). The regulation applies to travel businesses and tour guides registered in Taiwan only, according to the Travel Bureau.

The premier also asked the Environmental Protection Agency to draft measures to be implemented in the event of an outbreak of the disease, and to ensure food waste used as pig feed is cooked at a temperature of at least 90 degrees Celsius.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, on the other hand, is tasked with supervising the Taiwan Sugar Corporation to provide available plots of land, which could be used for animal corpse burial should an outbreak of the African swine flu lead to a necessary culling of a vast number of pigs on the island, writes CNA.