Camellia Oil Scandal Escalates! North-South Prosecutors Raid 17 Locations; Weiga Executives Among 5 Sent to Taipei Prosecutor’s Office

The tainted camellia oil scandal continues to escalate. Under instructions from the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office (hereinafter “Northern Procuratorate”) formally opened an investigation on July 31. Chief Prosecutor Zhou Fangyi and Prosecutor Luo Yixian are leading the probe, commanding the Northern Regional Mobile Station of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (hereinafter “Northern Mobile Station”).

Today (August 4), five individuals—including Jin, the registered representative of Weiga Company; Tu, the actual operator; and procurement staff members Chen (male), Chen (female), and Cai (female)—were successively transferred to the Northern Procuratorate for further interrogation. Meanwhile, Wu, the responsible person from Yuanchun Oil Mill, and another Wu from Meishan Camellia Oil Production Cooperative, are being investigated separately by the Chiayi District Prosecutor’s Office.

The Northern Procuratorate activated its platform for combating livelihood crimes and coordinated with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare to analyze administrative inspection data. The investigation revealed that Weiga International Co., Ltd. may have imported camellia seeds from mainland China and blended them into products labeled as Taiwanese camellia oil, outsourcing production to Yuanchun Oil Mill (located in Meishan Township, Chiayi County).

Given that multiple camellia oil brands shared the same contract manufacturer, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office directed a joint investigation between the Taipei and Chiayi prosecutors. On August 3, the handling prosecutor from the Northern Procuratorate commanded the Northern Mobile Station to apply for search warrants from the Taipei District Court, which were approved.

Today, under joint command from the Northern and Chiayi prosecutors, investigators from the Northern Mobile Station and Chiayi County Investigation Station executed court-issued search warrants. Together with the FDA’s Southern Regional Center and the Chiayi County Public Health Bureau, they raided 17 locations, including Weiga Company, Yuanchun Oil Mill, Meishan Camellia Oil Production Cooperative, and the residences and workplaces of seven suspects. Seven individuals were summoned for questioning, and the investigation remains ongoing.