The United States and Taiwan have formalized a new phase of cross-border drug enforcement cooperation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the 4th Annual Cross-Border Drug Enforcement Cooperation Forum. The event, held on August 19, 2025, at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, marked the first time this forum convened on American soil.
The MOU was signed between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on August 18. According to officials, this agreement will facilitate greater intelligence sharing between DEA and Taiwan’s High Prosecutors Office. The aim is to support more efficient investigations and prosecutions targeting transnational drug trafficking organizations.
Participants in the forum included representatives from multiple U.S. agencies—such as DEA, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection—as well as law enforcement officials from Taiwan.
“This forum represented the shared commitment of Taiwan and the United States to combat the scourge of drug trafficking,” said Asia Pacific Division Special Agent in Charge John Scott.
Taiwan has recently implemented regulations concerning pill press machines, parts, and punch dies effective March 31, 2025. These measures make Taiwan the first jurisdiction in Asia to serialize exported pill press equipment—a move designed to prevent such equipment from being diverted for illicit purposes.
The meeting also highlighted ongoing collaboration through DEA’s Taipei Narcotics Liaison Office with Taiwanese authorities to disrupt criminal groups moving ketamine and methamphetamine from Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle into Taiwan and other areas within Asia-Pacific.
“DEA recognized that international cooperation is essential to dismantling drug trafficking organizations,” said SAC Scott. “This forum provided an opportunity to deepen partnerships, share intelligence, and develop strategies to combat the global drug trade.”
Representatives from Taiwan’s High Prosecutors Office noted that both the MOU and this year’s forum represent a new beginning for closer cooperation within international law enforcement networks. Their efforts are focused on dismantling transnational criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking while protecting public health across both regions.