Taiwan seeks Vietnam ‘tourists’ who left groups

TAIPEI: Taiwanese immigration authorities have found 24 Vietnamese and are searching for 124 others who left their tour groups after arriving last month on tourist visas.

The National Immigration Agency did not specify what the Vietnamese were doing, but said they had “premeditated an illegal act collectively”.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry said it had ordered an investigation of the case to prevent the use of a group tour policy to carry out human trafficking or employment without proper visas.

Taiwan’s official Central News Agency said the 148 Vietnamese arrived in four groups on Dec 21 and Dec 23.

The agency appealed on Tuesday to the Vietnamese community in Taiwan to ask those still at large to surrender to authorities.

It added that those who did would be considered for lenient treatment and a quicker return to their home country.

People who enter Taiwan without proper permission are subject to up to three years in prison and a fine of up to US$2,900 (RM11,980).

The immigration agency also warned that anyone who shelters violators can face up to two years in prison.

In 2016, Taiwan allowed tourists from South-East Asia to apply for e-visas if they were members of high-quality group tours.

Authorities have found that the policy is being abused to bring people into Taiwan for purposes other than tourism. — AP