Taiwan police say they have made their biggest heroin bust in 20 years, confiscating 229 kilograms found in amplifier boxes airlifted from Vietnam.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau say they have arrested eight people and are pursuing other suspects.

Bureau commissioner Lin Te-hua said the 600 heroin bricks would have a wholesale value of $US30.5 million, but said its street value in Taiwan could be ten times more.

In October, authorities seized almost 100 kilograms of heroin smuggled in a cargo container in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

Last year they seized almost 80 kilograms of heroin on a fishing boat, and arrested seven people involved in smuggling it from Cambodia.

Under Taiwan's anti-drug laws, manufacturing, transporting and dealing in heroin is punishable by death.

AFP