Taipei: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday urged Taiwanese citizens to refrain from engaging in the sale or purchase of Taiwan passports, highlighting the legal repercussions, which include potential prison sentences of up to seven years.

According to Focus Taiwan, MOFA's cautionary statement follows the recent ruling by the Yilan District Court, which sentenced four individuals to prison terms ranging from 14 to 26 months. These individuals were found guilty of selling Taiwan passports to a Chinese human trafficking network.

The Chinese-language Liberty Times reported on Monday that the convicted individuals were part of a group that was indicted after a police crackdown in April 2024. Investigations revealed that the trafficking ring had orchestrated the purchase of Taiwanese passports to sell them to international buyers.

Local reports specify that the trafficking ring acquired Republic of China (Taiwan) passports for prices between NT$6,000 (US$189) and NT$10,000, reselling them for approximately 10,000 euros each. Prosecutors confirmed the sale of at least 14 passports to buyers in Greece and Indonesia.

MOFA has indicated receiving a request for assistance from the National Police Agency in October 2023 to aid in the investigation. Since then, MOFA has been vigilant in monitoring passports suspected of being sold overseas.

The demand for Taiwan passports in the black market is attributed to the privilege they offer, allowing holders to travel to 177 countries and territories either visa-free or with preferential visa terms.

The sale or purchase of passports is a breach of Article 29 of the Passport Act, which prescribes a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and a fine of up to NT$700,000 for violators.