TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Finance said Thursday it seized NT$810 million (US$25.6 million) worth of cigarettes and alcohol last year for breaching the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act.

More than 11.2 million packs of illegal cigarettes and 980,000 liters of alcohol were seized. The ministry said this was vital to protect consumer safety and ensure national tax revenues, per CNA.

The ministry held an illegal tobacco and alcohol enforcement meeting on Thursday. Representatives from the Cabinet’s Department of Consumer Protection, Coast Guard Administration, Ministry of Justice, National Police Agency, Fisheries Agency, Customs Administration, and local government agencies attended.

Finance Deputy Minister Juan Ching-hwa (阮清華) said illegal operators have shifted from smuggling tobacco products to domestic production. To strengthen enforcement, the ministry has implemented measures targeting the source of cigarette-making materials and the interception of illegal goods.

To help enforcement officers understand the criminal patterns of illegal groups, the meeting included a presentation by Siao Yong-jhen (蕭擁溱), chief prosecutor of the Taichung District Prosecutors Office. The Coast Guard Administration, Customs Administration, and Taichung City Government also shared enforcement case studies.

Kaohsiung Customs seized 1,250 boxes of undeclared cigarettes from Vietnam on Feb. 6, with an estimated market value exceeding NT$43 million. The shipment was confiscated for breaking the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act and the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act.