Taiwan president’s ex-bodyguards sentenced

TAIPEI: A Taiwanese court on Friday handed prison terms to a dozen former presidential security agents and airline employees over their roles in a cigarette smuggling scandal on the island two years ago.

A bodyguard in President Tsai Ing-wen’s entourage tried to bring in 9,800 cigarette cartons as he returned from an official trip accompanying Tsai to the Caribbean. The president said at the time that she had no idea her security team was involved and ordered an investigation.

The agent, identified as Wu Tsung-hsien of the National Security Bureau, received the heaviest sentence of 10 years and four months on corruption and tax evasion charges, according to Taipei district court.