Tainan Police Launch 'Fruit Protection Project' as Mango Harvest Season Nears

(CNA, Tainan, May 21, by reporter Yang Sz-jui) As the peak harvest season for mangoes, a key agricultural product in Tainan's mountainous region, is about to begin, police today launched the "Fruit Protection Project." The initiative aims to prevent theft by petty criminals through police-civilian cooperation and also urges the public to purchase mangoes online through reputable platforms to avoid falling victim to fraud. The Yujing Precinct of the Tainan City Police Department held a kickoff ceremony for the "Fruit Protection Project" today, bringing together local police, civil defense units, volunteer police, and community patrol teams. The project will establish dedicated patrol routes for key orchards and areas requested by farmers, carrying out intensive patrols, spot checks, and plainclothes stakeouts through police-civilian collaboration. Yujing Precinct Chief Su Bao-an stated in his remarks that mangoes are a signature agricultural product of the Tainan mountain area. With the peak harvest season in June and July approaching, police have increased efforts to encourage farmers to install surveillance cameras, motion-sensor lights, deterrent alarms, and warning signs in their orchards to deter intruders. Su Bao-an added that police will also organize regional self-defense patrols among adjacent orchards, with orchard owners and workers conducting irregular patrols together. If any suspicious persons or vehicles are spotted, they can immediately report to the precinct, and officers will rush to the scene to protect the farmers' hard-earned produce. He said that in addition to physical theft prevention, the Yujing Precinct is strengthening anti-fraud campaigns targeting recent common cases of online fruit purchase scams. Fraud groups often use social media platforms like Facebook to post fake articles or one-page ads claiming "direct from the farm" or "cheap mangoes for sale." Consumers realize they have fallen into a fake online auction trap only after they transfer payment and never receive the fruit. Police urge that high-quality Tainan mangoes should be purchased online through farmers' associations, reputable agricultural marketing platforms, or from familiar farmers. Consumers should not be tempted by unusually low-priced online promotions. If they encounter any suspicious transactions, they can call the 165 anti-fraud hotline or 110 to verify and prevent fraud groups from illicitly profiting.