Bitter Tea Oil Scandal: Taipei Prosecutors Interrogate Overnight; Apply for Detention of Weijia International's Purchaser Chen Zhongxiuhui and Broker Chen Yuanlong

On August 4, 2026, the Taipei and Chiayi District Prosecutors' Offices conducted a coordinated cross-regional investigation into a toxic edible oil case. Under the direction of the Investigation Bureau, 17 search and interrogation operations were simultaneously launched against implicated manufacturers. The probe targets Weijia International Co., Ltd., which is suspected of importing low-cost bitter tea seeds from mainland China and fraudulently manufacturing bitter tea oil labeled as made from locally sourced Taiwanese ingredients. After extensive questioning through the night, prosecutors applied for pre-trial detention without visitation rights early on August 5 against Chen Zhongxiuhui, Weijia’s procurement officer, and Chen Yuanlong, the broker who facilitated the seed purchase, citing strong suspicion of fraud and false labeling under the Criminal Code.

Additionally, Tu Jiesheng, the de facto responsible person of Weijia International, was charged with the same offenses and released on a bail of NT$1 million. Registered representative Jin Tianli was released on NT$500,000 bail, and staff member Cai Mengjie on NT$300,000 bail.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received a report from Evergreen Biotech Co., Ltd., revealing that its product 'Local Jinhua Xiao Guo Bitter Tea Oil' tested positive for benzo(a)pyrene, a Group 1 carcinogen, at 2.9 μg/kg—significantly exceeding the legal limit of 2.0 μg/kg. Subsequent investigations traced the contaminated oil back to Weijia International, whose bitter tea oil was processed by Yuanchun Oil Mill. This supply chain exposed the mislabeling and distribution of substandard oil to consumers.