An American English teacher was one of four people busted in Taiwan for allegedly running a major amphetamine factory in plain sight in a scene fit for the hit show “Breaking Bad,” according to Taiwanese officials.
The alleged drug operation was uncovered after authorities received a tip that two men who had previously been arrested for producing narcotics had started up a new operation in Taitung City — a city of about 100,000 people on the island’s southeast coast, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau.
The two allegedly recruited the American teacher, who was only identified by the Chinese surname Lin, to convert a bar owned by Lin into an amphetamine production facility.
The bar was located in the center of an urban area surrounded by businesses. But the two Taiwanese men, identified by their surnames, Lo and Chen, thought they would be able to hide the smell of the drug production and believed Lin’s employment as an English teacher would quell any suspicion from law enforcement.
After a lengthy investigation, a special drug task force from the MJIB found that Lin would make regular trips in his spare time between the converted bar and a warehouse where drug-making equipment was stored.
The American was additionally found to be transporting drugs with other accomplices.
Authorities raided the bar on March 11 and four people were arrested, including Lo, Chen and Lin and another suspect surnamed Cheng.
Police seized over 2.5 pounds of amphetamines, over 21 pounds of unfinished amphetamine, and a large amount of drug manufacturing equipment and raw materials.
All four have been indicted by the Pingtung District Prosecutor’s Office and are in custody.
