Stones stolen by Chinese tourists intercepted; over 100kg of rocks "return home" in Hualien and Taitung!

▲ Taoyuan Airport seized stones picked up from beaches such as Qixingtan and Sanciandao from the carry-on luggage of Chinese tourists. (Photo / Provided by ECNSAA)

Reporter Lin Yuling / Comprehensive report

The East Coast National Scenic Area Administration (ECNSAA) recently received a "heavy package" sent from Taoyuan Airport. It turned out that Chinese tourists visiting Qixingtan in Hualien and Sanciandao in Taitungwere often attracted by the unique shapes and patterns of the stones, and coupled with tour guides exaggerating that "these stones have spiritual energy," many visitors picked them up as souvenirs. After being intercepted by customs at Taoyuan Airport, five large boxes weighing around 100 kilograms of stones were recently sent back to the ECNSAA, allowing them to "go home"!

▲ Five large boxes weighing about 100 kilograms — some joked that "this unboxing story is quite heavy!" (Photo / Provided by ECNSAA)

▲ Some tour guides, to add drama and a touch of fantasy, joke that "the stones here have spiritual energy." (Photo / Provided by ECNSAA)

Attractions under the management of the ECNSAA, such as Sanciandao and Baxiandong, are associated with the folk tale of the "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea." To add drama and a fantastical element to their stories,some tour guides joke that"the stones here have spiritual energy." Coupled with the uniquely shaped and beautifully patterned rocks, many tourists are drawn to collecting them, with numerous Chinese tour groups even taking them out of the country. Taoyuan Airport Customs has continuously intercepted special stones from the Hualien and Taitung coasts in the carry-on luggage of Chinese tourists, including minerals such as maifan stone and shale.

Taoyuan Airport accumulated the stones, totaling around five large boxes weighing 100 kilograms, and recently sent the entire batch to the ECNSAA. Upon receiving them, the ECNSAA originally planned to let the stones "go back to where they came from," but it was difficult to determine whether they originated from Qixingtan or Sanciandao. Therefore, they decided to return all of them to Sanciandao on a future date. However,many of the stones had drawings or graffiti on them, so ECNSAA staff cleaned them before sending them back home, joking that "this kind of unboxing job is really tiring!"

▲ Many of the stones had graffiti, which the ECNSAA had to clean before returning them home. (Photo / Provided by ECNSAA)

Maifan stone, shale, and similar rocks are all considered national natural resources. According to Article 62, Paragraph 1 of the Development of Tourism Act,"Damaging scenic spots or natural resources in tourist areas or designated scenic zones will result in a fine of up to NT$500,000 and an order to restore the area to its original condition."The ECNSAA also urges the public and tourism operators not to pick up stones or damage the environment in tourist areas.