TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan's Customs Administration is investing NT$275 million (US$8.37 million) in AI systems that will help find illegal products including meat, farm produce, vapes, and piles of banknotes in the luggage of travelers, reports said Saturday.

It is not an entirely new initiative. The authorities have been using AI recognition systems since 2021 to find illegal drugs in luggage and mailed packages, per CNA. The success rate of the applications has reached 95%.

However, because smugglers change tactics to hide their wares, the AI systems need new and adjusted forms of training to maintain their accuracy, the Customs Administration said. The Ministry of Justice will supply drugs or images from previous drug finds to fine-tune the training for the generative AI systems.

The new AI systems are set to start in October before their gradual expansion to cover five types of meat products. From 2026, the systems could also be used to find five types of vapes and banned flavored tobacco products. After this, there will be five types of currency bundles in 2027, and five varieties of vegetables and farm produce in 2028.

Due to the varying quantities and varieties of illegal products being found at airports and ports, the AI training will have to be split up into segments to be effective, officials said.