By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Police brought more than 200 people in for questioning and urine testing early Sunday after raiding a makeshift nightclub in Daliao District (大寮), where officers found suspected drugs and 21 Vietnamese migrant workers whose whereabouts had been listed as unknown.
Officers from the Linyuan Precinct (林園分局) entered the metal-sheet building shortly after midnight on Aug. 16 as part of a joint inspection involving the National Immigration Agency, the Kaohsiung City Government’s drug prevention and fire departments and other agencies.
The otherwise unremarkable building reportedly operated as a nightclub on weekends, drawing large crowds with electronic music and a DJ.
Police reported finding one packet of suspected drug-laced coffee powder, nine suspected ketamine-laced cigarettes, seven unidentified tablets and drug paraphernalia.
No one at the venue admitted owning the items. Police said the substances and urine samples were being sent for testing, meaning it had not yet been established which, if any, of those present had used or possessed illegal drugs.
More than 200 Vietnamese nationals, six Thai nationals and nine Taiwanese were taken to the precinct for identity checks, statements and urine collection.
Authorities identified 21 Vietnamese nationals as migrant workers listed as missing after leaving their authorized employment. They were transferred to the National Immigration Agency for further processing.
Police also found one Vietnamese national wanted in connection with a fraud case. The suspect was transferred to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office.
The venue had reportedly attracted police attention before.
According to ETtoday, authorities cut off its water and electricity following a 2024 investigation. The operator later applied to have the services restored, and the nightclub eventually reopened.
In that earlier raid, police entered an unlicensed weekend nightclub operating from a metal-sheet building in Daliao and found 73 people, including 14 missing migrant workers.
Police reported seizing more than 900 packets of drug-laced coffee powder, along with methamphetamine, marijuana, ketamine, tablets, mobile phones and NT$1.73 million in suspected proceeds. The venue’s operator, an accountant and two other suspects were referred to prosecutors under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.
The latest report did not explain under what conditions utilities were restored, whether the venue had permission to resume operating or what inspections were conducted before it reopened.
Police said any drug-related charges arising from Sunday’s raid will depend on laboratory analysis of the seized substances and urine samples.
