‘Granny’ mules caught with heroin after Thailand trip

By Jason Pan / Staff reporter





Seven older women who took a package tour to Thailand could face life in prison after they were allegedly caught trying to smuggle heroin into Taiwan.

Aviation Police at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday arrested the seven, all grandmothers, who were allegedly bringing in 14kg of heroin for a gang of smugglers.

A 51-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張) who led the five-day tour was reportedly the contact with the smuggling group and the seven other women were all her acquaintances, police said.

One of the seven travelers brought her two grandchildren — aged two and three — on the tour, possibly to help disguise the real intention of the trip, police said.

Investigators allege the group made an initial trip last month, with each member being paid NT$100,000 by the smugglers.

Law enforcement agencies were tipped off about the group and monitored the second trip, officials said.

Officials said that under the Narcotic Drugs Hazard Control Act (毒品危害防治條例), convictions for smuggling of category-1 drugs such as heroin could result in life in prison or the death penalty.

When told that they might face the death penalty, some of the seven appeared shaken, breaking down and crying, officials said, adding that the women said they were unaware of the severity of punishment for drug smuggling.

Officials said that Chang was paid NT$200,000 for each successful drug run from Thailand.

A 42-year-old man surnamed Liao (廖) who claimed to be Chang’s cousin went to airport police on Sunday after the group was detained, but he ended up also being detained and questioned.

Police later searched Liao’s residence in Taoyuan, where they found 13.8kg of heroin.

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office is handing the case, and prosecutors are trying to determine where the tour group went on its trips to Thailand and whom the women met with to try and trace the source of the heroin.