Man sentenced to over 5 years for single drug sale earning $46

A man in Taiwan has received a heavy sentence of over five years in prison for a single instance of selling methamphetamine, despite earning a mere NT$1,500 (approximately $46 USD) from the transaction.

The Miaoli resident, identified by the surname Chen, was convicted of selling the second-class drug to an acquaintance outside a convenience store in Toufen City in late 2024. Prosecutors argued that despite the small profit and single offense, the act of drug trafficking is a serious crime that harms public health.

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Selling drugs harms the physical and mental well-being of our citizens and cannot be tolerated.

Chen's defense team had pleaded for leniency, requesting a sentence reduction under Article 59 of the Criminal Code, which allows for reduced penalties in exceptionally sympathetic cases. They emphasized the minimal profit and the fact that it was a solitary offense.

However, the Miaoli District Court rejected the plea. The judge noted that Chen himself is a drug user and engaged in trafficking to support his habit, a practice known as "using drugs to support drugs." The court stated that selling second-class drugs is a serious offense with a statutory penalty of 10 years or more, and while Chen's confession led to a reduction, his actions did not warrant further leniency. The court stressed that there was nothing to elicit public sympathy for someone who risked severe penalties for such a small gain.

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The defendant is a drug user who then engaged in trafficking to support his habit. He is in his prime but did not choose the right path.