The Control Yuan says that not all members of President Tsai Ing-wen’s entourage during an overseas trip last year were eligible for special privileges at customs upon their return. The Control Yuan is the Taiwanese government’s top watchdog body.
Several members of Tsai’s security detail were caught attempting to smuggle cigarettes into Taiwan after accompanying Tsai on a trip to Taiwan’s allies in the Caribbean last July. The guards had used expedited customs clearance given to entourage members as cover, but were caught before their motorcade had left the airport. On Wednesday, the Control Yuan said that the guards were not entitled to expedited customs procedures in the first place.
However, the foreign ministry has taken a different view. On Thursday, it said that expedited customs privileges are granted to all members of presidential delegations to ensure seamless operations. Furthermore, such privileges also ensure the president’s safety.
The foreign ministry also says that it has since begun searching all the bags of entourage members in accordance with directives from the president.