The investigation into defendants Chen ○ and Chen ○-tang, operators of Qia ○ Livestock Farm, for suspected violations of the Waste Disposal Act and other offenses has been concluded, and a public prosecution has been initiated. The details are as follows:

I.Investigation process

This case originated from media reports on October 22, 2025 (114th year of the Republic), stating that a pig farm in Wuqi District, Taichung City, had tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF) nucleic acid by agricultural authorities. This office proactively initiated an investigation based on the news reports. Chief Prosecutor Chang Chieh-chin assigned Lead Prosecutor Hung Kuo-chao of the Public Welfare Division to lead Executive Secretary Prosecutor Kang Tsun-hsiao in convening a consultation meeting, followed by an immediate investigation.

To clarify the details of the case, on November 3, 2025, six prosecutors—Huang Yu-feng, Lai Hsieh-chuan, Kang Tsun-hsiao, Lin Ssu-pin, Kuo Kuei, and Weng Chia-lung—jointly directed the prosecutorial officers of the District Prosecutors Office's Major Case Support Center, the Taichung City Service Station of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, the Seventh and Fourth Corps of the National Police Agency's Second Special Police Center, the Taichung City Specialized Operation Brigade of the National Immigration Agency, and the Criminal Investigation Corps and Qingshui Division of the Taichung City Police Department. Armed with search warrants issued by the Taiwan Taichung District Court (hereinafter referred to as the Taichung District Court), they conducted searches at four locations, including the Qia○ Livestock Farm and the residences of relevant personnel, and summoned the defendants, Chen ○ and his son Chen ○-tang, along with other involved parties, for questioning.

Following interrogation and evidence collection, it was determined that the defendants Chen ○ and Chen ○-tang were heavily implicated and posed a risk of destroying evidence or colluding with accomplices and witnesses. Consequently, an application for detention and prohibition of visitation was filed with and granted by the Taichung District Court. Subsequently, prosecutors continued to review relevant declaration data, investigate breeding processes, and examine food waste recycling operations. Inquiries were also made to the Ministry of Environment, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, and relevant bureaus of the Taichung City Government. Through meticulous cross-referencing of declared data with actual operational procedures, seized documents, electronic files, and communication records, the illegal activities were clarified one by one. The investigation has now concluded, and a public prosecution has been initiated in accordance with the law.

II.Summary of Criminal Facts

1.Regarding the uploading of false photos of steamed food waste to the Ministry of Environment's "Food Waste Steaming Declaration System":

Qia○ Livestock Farm is a pig farm that has obtained registration and verification for food waste recycling. According to the law, received food waste must be cooked at a high temperature of at least 90 degrees Celsius for over one hour. Furthermore, the farm must log into the Ministry of Environment's "Food Waste Cooking Declaration System" daily to truthfully report cooking conditions and upload supporting photos or videos. Chen ○-tang was responsible for the farm's food waste cooking declaration operations and was required to report daily based on actual cooking conditions. However, to evade inspections and citations from environmental protection authorities, and with the intent to exercise forged quasi-documents in the course of business, he pre-recorded cooking photos on his mobile phone in 2022. Subsequently, from January 8, 2023, to September 30, 2025, he repeatedly uploaded these old photos during daily declarations to serve as proof of cooking for that day. This action was sufficient to cause damage to the accuracy of the competent authority's management of high-temperature cooking implementation at pig farms.

2.Regarding the uploading of false operational records concerning food waste recycling and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) usage to the "Industrial Waste Declaration and Management Information System" of the Resource Circulation Administration, Ministry of Environment:

Chen ○-tang was well aware that, according to the law, he was required to truthfully report the previous month's operational records—including the source, quantity, and recycling method of food waste, as well as LPG usage—by the 10th of each month. However, because the quantity of food waste purchased through bidding exceeded actual usage, he violated contract stipulations by reselling a portion of the food waste to other farms. Despite knowing that such food waste was not recycled on-site and that the declared amount of fuel was not actually used, he commissioned unidentified operators to report false information on his behalf between January and September 2025. This action was sufficient to cause damage to the accuracy of the competent authority's management of industrial waste recycling.

3.Regarding the falsification of the "Source Form for Raw Materials Entrusted for Removal and Rendering, Copies A, B, and C" (hereinafter referred to as the Entrusted Rendering Triplicate Form) for the rendering of deceased pigs:

Starting from October 10, 2025, a large number of pigs at the Qia-○ Livestock Farm began to die. Chen ○ and Chen ○-tang failed to report the epidemic and instead attempted to treat the animals themselves with antibiotics, but were unable to stop the deaths. To prevent the outbreak from leaking and affecting auction sales, the two conspired to hand over only a portion of the dead pigs to legitimate rendering companies, while commissioning unidentified illegal operators to dispose of the rest to reduce the reported death toll. From October 10 to 20 of the same year, Chen ○-tang compiled daily statistics of the actual number of deaths, and Chen ○ filled in false quantities on the commissioned rendering triplicate forms before handing them to transport drivers, thereby exercising the use of falsified business documents. Upon comparing the visit records of the animal protection and epidemic prevention authorities with the entries on the triplicate forms, it was found that a total of 46 dead pigs were under-reported and handed over to illegal operators for disposal. Furthermore, the Taichung City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office visited twice and recorded the daily death counts; due to the continuous abnormal deaths, samples were forcibly taken for testing, which ultimately confirmed an infection of African Swine Fever. On October 22, 2025, the remaining 195 live pigs at the farm were preventively culled in accordance with regulations.

4.Suspected Fraud Regarding the Sale of Diseased Pigs:

Chen ○ and Chen ○-tang were well aware that the withdrawal period for the veterinary drug "Amoxicillin" is 15 days, and that pigs suspected of being infected with contagious diseases must not be supplied for slaughter or sale. Nevertheless, during the period of mass pig deaths in October 2025, they administered injections and mixed drugs into the feed for all pigs on the farm without a veterinarian's diagnosis. Seeing that the medication was ineffective and the pigs were exhibiting abnormal symptoms, they should have known there was a risk of epidemic disease. To avoid financial loss, they filled out a Livestock Health Declaration with false contents on October 13, 2025, and transported 30 pigs that were potentially infected and had not completed the drug withdrawal period (2 died during transport, 28 were actually auctioned) to the Taichung City Da'an District Meat Market for auction. Due to the aforementioned false declaration, underwriters and buyers were misled into purchasing the livestock, and the auction proceeds of NT$320,015 were remitted to Chen ○'s account, thereby obtaining illegal gains through fraud.

III.Applicable Legal Provisions

1.Regarding the conduct of the defendant Chen ○-tang in Criminal Fact 1, he is suspected of committing the crime of exercising a quasi-document with false entries in the course of business under Articles 216, 215, and 220, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code; regarding the conduct in Criminal Fact 2, he is suspected of committing the crime of making false declarations under Article 48 of the Waste Disposal Act.

2.Regarding the conduct of the defendants Chen ○ and Chen ○-tang in Criminal Fact 3, both are suspected of committing the crimes of exercising a document with false entries in the course of business under Articles 216 and 215 of the Criminal Code, and engaging in waste removal and disposal without obtaining a waste removal or disposal permit under the first part of Article 46, subparagraph 4 of the Waste Disposal Act; regarding the conduct in Criminal Fact 4, both are suspected of committing the crimes of exercising a document with false entries in the course of business under Articles 216 and 215 of the Criminal Code, and fraud for property under Article 339, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. The criminal proceeds of the two defendants, totaling NT$320,015, have been voluntarily returned by the defendant Chen ○during the investigation; the court is requested to declare the confiscation thereof in accordance with the law.

IV.Sentencing Opinion

The two defendants, as professional pig farmers, were well aware that the high-temperature cooking of food waste is a critical line of defense in preventing African Swine Fever. Nevertheless, they bypassed supervision for a long period by uploading old photographs and illegally resold food waste, undermining the control over the flow of waste. During the outbreak of the epidemic, they further concealed the actual number of deaths and handed over 46 diseased pig carcasses to illegal operators for removal and disposal, seriously endangering animal epidemic prevention and environmental safety. Their criminal motive was merely to reduce costs and evade responsibility, disregarding public interest and industrial safety. Furthermore, they failed to confess their crimes during the investigation, thereby obstructing epidemic prevention tracking operations. Considering the duration, methods, degree of harm, and their attitude after the crime, their nature is egregious and has caused profound infringement upon national legal interests. Accordingly, the court is requested to impose a heavy sentence on both defendants as a warning and punishment.

V.Our Appeal

African Swine Fever is a highly contagious animal disease; once spread, it will cause a significant impact on the domestic pig farming industry and the related economy. Livestock operators must strictly comply with regulations regarding waste recycling and animal epidemic prevention, truthfully report operations and mortality rates, and immediately notify competent authorities upon discovering any abnormalities—do not take chances. This Agency will continue to work closely with central and local authorities to strictly investigate and handle illegal acts involving animal diseases, food safety, and environmental management, adhering to the principles of legality, rigor, and speed to safeguard public health, safety, and the sustainable development of the agricultural and livestock industries.