Taiwanese tea merchant acquitted in fake tea case

A tea merchant in Kaohsiung has been acquitted of charges related to selling counterfeit Taiwanese high-mountain tea, after a court ruled that distinguishing the alleged adulterated product from genuine tea was virtually impossible, even for seasoned experts.

The case involved a high-priced "Taiwan High Mountain Tea" sold by a long-established tea shop. However, a random inspection by the city's agriculture bureau in May 2024 found the tea to be of "foreign origin." Prosecutors accused the owner, identified by the surname Liu, of mixing low-cost Vietnamese tea with Taiwanese tea to defraud consumers, leading to charges under the food safety law and fraud.

During the trial, Liu vehemently denied the allegations, stating he purchased the tea in 2022 from a tea farmer in Nantou at a price of NT$1,000 per jin (approximately 600 grams). He maintained he had never imported foreign tea and was unaware of any adulteration. The court noted that Liu's purchase records and the quantity of tea he repackaged and sold were consistent, leaving no room for the alleged mixing.

Further supporting Liu's defense, an experienced tea master testified that the appearance, aroma, and taste of foreign teas are highly similar to domestic ones. The expert stated that even experienced merchants often cannot differentiate them without scientific testing. The court also considered Liu's prompt reaction upon learning of the issue: he immediately contacted the farmer and returned a recent shipment of spring tea, rather than attempting to conceal evidence. Given the lack of concrete proof of Liu's intent to defraud and the difficulty in distinguishing the teas, the court ruled in his favor, citing the principle that doubt benefits the accused.

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Even long-term tea merchants or farmers usually cannot distinguish whether foreign tea is mixed in based on appearance, aroma, or taste alone; it must rely on scientific testing to be revealed.