Video Tutorials・Customs Auctions・2026-01-07・Last updated:
In January 2026, the HowBridge founder made this video: on January 15, Kaohsiung Customs would auction off all the detained goods in its warehouses—including electric vehicles, suitcases, clothing, and household items—and individuals could inspect the goods and place bids. It became the channel's second-most-viewed video, with many people asking, “Can you really win an electric vehicle for just one or two thousand dollars?” and “How do I apply to go inside and inspect the goods?” This article matches the event described in the video with the Ministry of Finance press release, then fills in what the video did not cover: why these goods were detained, how reserve prices are calculated, whether successful bidders can use their purchases immediately, and how to keep your own goods from becoming someone else's bargain.
The 30-second summary: ① The video covers the Kaohsiung Customs Year 115 First Auction of Confiscated Contraband and Overdue Goods (2026-01-15 at 2:00 p.m., bids by mail). Inspection dates were 1/9 and 1/12–14. Lots included electric bicycles, electric tricycle frame assemblies, electric water heaters, suitcases, jeans, polo shirts, bedding, tiles, hand tools, and more, and bidding was open to both businesses and individuals. ② Where the goods come from: imports left undeclared after late-filing fees have accrued for 20 days, goods abandoned in writing, prohibited imports not re-exported, and goods confiscated for smuggling or other violations. They are sold by auction under the Procedures for the Disposal of Goods and Means of Transport by Customs. ③ Reserve prices are not arbitrary: taxable goods = 50% of the appraised duty-paid value plus all taxes; duty-free goods = 40% of the duty-paid value. At least 3 bidders must participate before bids can be opened, and the successful bidder must pay in full within 3 business days beginning the day after the award. ④ Winning does not automatically mean you can use the goods: commodities subject to mandatory inspection require an inspection certificate from the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection before they can be collected. Country-of-origin labels must be added to goods such as jeans and tiles, while electric bicycles are also subject to type approval and license plate requirements before road use. ⑤ Kaohsiung Customs held its 11th auction of 2025 that year, so in practice, auctions take place almost every month, although the legal minimum is once every two months.
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Electric vehicles, suitcases, clothing, and everyday essentials—you can find bargains on all of them at the Kaohsiung Customs auction on 1/15. Goods detained by customs are being auctioned off. #TaiwanShippingLine #HowBridge
The video was filmed on January 7, 2026. The founder's message is straightforward: on January 15, Kaohsiung Customs will auction all the detained goods in its warehouses—goods shipped to Taiwan through Taobao, Pinduoduo, and official forwarding services, including electric vehicles, suitcases, clothing, and everyday essentials. Anyone looking for bargains should first check the notice on the Customs Administration's Kaohsiung Customs website, contact the office to register, and apply to enter the port area to inspect the goods, because access to Kaohsiung Customs is controlled and members of the public cannot enter freely.
The official information confirms it: a Ministry of Finance press release dated January 5, 2026 states that Kaohsiung Customs would hold its first auction by mail of the year at 2:00 p.m. on January 15 of Year 115, on the fifth floor of Customs Headquarters. Inspection dates were January 9 and January 12–14, from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–4:30 p.m. Goods were stored at several locations, including the contraband warehouse, various container yards, the First Postal Division, and the Wan Hai maritime express cargo zone. The event described in the video was real, and it was not an annual one-off—the Kaohsiung Customs auction held in December 2025 was already the “11th auction of Year 114.”
Related Video: Jeans Starting at NT$10?：The founder made another video in May: Kaohsiung Customs and Taichung Customs hold auctions around the 15th of each month. The contraband warehouses are full of jeans and other clothing detained because they have no country-of-origin labels. Starting bids are extremely low, and successful bidders can resell the goods after adding the required country-of-origin labels. This explains “why the goods were detained” and “what must be added after winning.” Points 2 and 4 below cover these issues in detail. Video: Kaohsiung Customs contraband warehouse auction on the 15th of each month.
Many people assume that everything sold at customs auctions is “smuggled goods,” but most lots are actually forwarded or express imports that no one dealt with after arrival. Under the Customs Act and the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act, goods sold by customs come from four sources. They are handled in accordance with the Procedures for the Disposal of Goods and Means of Transport by Customs, and ordinary goods must be sold by auction:
| Source | Legal Status | Common Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Imports with overdue customs declarations | Article 73 of the Customs Act: a late-filing fee of NT$200 per day applies, and if no declaration is filed after the fee has accrued for 20 days, customs will sell the goods | Forwarded goods arrive in Taiwan but no one files a declaration, the recipient cannot be contacted, or the EZ WAY confirmation is not completed before the deadline |
| Abandoned in writing | The recipient submits a declaration abandoning the goods | The taxes cost more than the goods, the recipient does not want to pay the fine, or the recipient does not want to arrange an inspection |
| Prohibited imports not re-exported | Article 96 of the Customs Act: the goods must be re-exported within a specified period and may be sold if they are not | Mainland Chinese goods not permitted for import under MW0, or goods without the required import permit |
| Confiscated for smuggling or other violations | Confiscation becomes final under the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act | False declarations, missing country-of-origin labels, or goods subject to mandatory inspection that are found without inspection |
Why Is an Entire Warehouse Full of Goods from Taobao and Pinduoduo?：Because unit prices are low, while taxes and fines often exceed the value of the goods. After the goods are detained, many recipients ignore them or abandon them, and they end up in the contraband warehouse. Textiles without country-of-origin labels, such as jeans, bedding, and polo shirts, are especially common. So when the video says “a pair of jeans for NT$10,” that is not an exaggeration—it is because the shipment was no longer worth recovering for the original recipient. To find out whether your goods could end up this way, see What to Do If Your Parcel Is Detained by Taiwan Customs.
The video says, “An electric vehicle that costs ten or twenty thousand dollars in Taiwan might sell for just one or two thousand at auction.” That is possible, but you first need to understand how reserve prices are calculated. Under the disposal procedures, the reserve price for taxable goods is 50% of the duty-paid value appraised by customs, plus all taxes; for duty-free goods, it is 40% of the duty-paid value. The head of the customs office may adjust the figure within a specified range. In other words, the reserve price follows the value appraised by customs. Older models, incomplete items, and frame assemblies may already have a low appraised value, allowing the reserve price to fall into the thousands; a complete new vehicle will not.
The process also has several thresholds: at least 3 bidders or businesses must participate before bids can be opened, and the highest bid above the reserve price wins. If no bid reaches the reserve price, bidders who are present may increase their bids on the spot—an advantage unavailable to those participating solely by mail. If goods remain unsold after at least four auctions, customs may approve their destruction. For the complete rules, see 2026 Customs Auction Notices and Lot List Search.
Where the Real Bargains Are：Bulk lots, low-appraisal items, and products no one else wants: jeans, bedding, socks, hardware screws, and frame assemblies. Their reserve prices are low, and there is less competition. Anyone hoping to bid on “an electric vehicle that is ready to ride” will usually find that the reserve price is not as low as expected—and even after winning, the requirements described in Thing 4 still apply.
The video's instruction to “contact Kaohsiung Customs and apply before going inside to inspect the goods” is a crucial step because the inspection locations are within a controlled commercial port area. Based on the notice for the January 2026 Kaohsiung Customs auction, the process is:
This is the part the video does not cover, and it is where bidders are most likely to run into trouble. The winning bid generally incorporates the applicable taxes, so you do not need to file another import declaration or pay import duties again. However, whether the goods may legally be used or resold is a separate matter:
Change 1: Goods Subject to Mandatory Inspection Require BSMI Documentation Before Collection：Under the disposal procedures, if auctioned goods are designated as imports subject to mandatory inspection under the Commodity Inspection Act, the successful bidder must present an inspection certificate issued by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs, before the goods can be released for collection. Electric bicycles, electric water heaters, and single-core wires are among the products covered. Without an inspection certificate, you cannot collect the goods even if you win the auction.
Change 2: Country-of-Origin Labels Must Be Added to Jeans and Tiles：The Kaohsiung Customs notice expressly states that country-of-origin labels “must be added” to glazed tiles. The video also explains that jeans were detained because they lacked origin labels. After winning them, the bidder must add the correct country-of-origin marking, such as Made in Mainland China, before offering them for sale. This is a basic product-labeling requirement; customs release does not end your obligations.
Change 3: Electric Vehicles Still Need Type Approval and License Plates for Road Use：To use an auctioned electric bicycle or electric scooter on public roads in Taiwan, you need more than an inspection certificate. It must also comply with Ministry of Transportation and Communications requirements for type approval, registration, and license plates for miniature electric two-wheel vehicles. Frame assemblies and parts are a separate matter. The difference between “winning a vehicle for one or two thousand dollars” and “winning a vehicle you can legally ride for one or two thousand dollars” lies in these procedures and costs.
Change 4: Goods for Export Must Not Bear Taiwan Country-of-Origin Markings：Goods purchased at auction may be declared for export using the re-export procedure. However, unless they were originally domestic goods being re-exported, neither the goods nor their inner or outer packaging may bear Taiwan country-of-origin markings, and the export declaration must state that no tax refund may be claimed.
Look at it from the other side: every box at an auction once belonged to someone who placed an order on Taobao or Pinduoduo. Most end up at auction for just three reasons—no one filed a customs declaration, no one confirmed the shipment in EZ WAY, or the recipient abandoned the goods after they were detained. Forwarding customers can take a few simple precautions:
HowBridge's Approach：When goods arrive at the Shenzhen warehouse, HowBridge checks the product description and country-of-origin labels, notifies members in advance if formal customs clearance or inspection is required, and reminds them to watch for EZ WAY notifications after the shipment reaches Taiwan. The goal is simple: your goods enter Taiwan successfully, can be used legally, and never appear on the next auction list.
Yes, individuals can participate. The Kaohsiung Customs notice expressly states that “bidding is open to both businesses and individuals,” so both natural persons and legal entities may bid. Bring identification and your personal seal when inspecting the goods. Bid deposits must be paid using a Bank of Taiwan cashier's check, a bank check drawn on the issuing bank, or a bank-certified check. Amounts not exceeding NT$5,000 may be paid in cash.
The regulations require regular auctions at least once every two months. In practice, Kaohsiung Customs holds auctions almost every month—the December 2025 event was the “11th auction of Year 114,” while the January 15, 2026 event in the video was the first auction of Year 115. For current dates, inspection days, and lot lists, check the “Auction Notices” section of the Kaohsiung Customs website. Links to notices from all four customs offices are compiled on the site's customs auction overview page.
For taxable goods, the reserve price is 50% of the duty-paid value appraised by customs, plus all taxes. For duty-free goods, it is 40% of the duty-paid value. Only frame assemblies, older parts, and similar items with low appraised values are likely to have reserve prices in the thousands; a complete new vehicle will not have such a low reserve price. After winning, an electric bicycle also requires an inspection certificate from the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection before collection, as well as type approval and a license plate for road use.
Generally, no. The reserve price is calculated as “50% of the duty-paid value plus all taxes,” and the winning bid is the purchase price. However, that only resolves the tax issue; it does not mean the goods can immediately be used or sold. Products subject to mandatory inspection require BSMI inspection certificates, country-of-origin labels must be added to textiles and tiles, and electric vehicles require type approval and license plates.
The bid deposit may be applied toward part of the purchase price. The remaining balance must be paid in full within 3 business days beginning the day after the award. If payment is not made on time, the bid deposit will be forfeited. When collecting the goods, the buyer must complete an affidavit and maintain a “Resale Register for Goods Purchased at Customs Auctions.” Goods are handed over as is, so be sure to inspect them personally on an inspection day.
Not immediately. Detained or overdue goods are subject to a processing period. For an overdue customs declaration, customs may sell the goods only if no declaration has been filed after late-filing fees have accrued for 20 days. Prohibited imports will first be ordered re-exported within a specified period, while confiscation for a violation must become final. When you receive an official notice, first check the reason. You may still be able to submit additional documents, arrange an inspection, or re-export the goods. Auction follows only if you abandon or ignore them.
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This article is based on the Ministry of Finance press release dated 2026-01-05 concerning the Kaohsiung Customs Year 115 First Auction of Confiscated Contraband and Overdue Goods, the Kaohsiung Customs Year 114 11th Auction Notice, Articles 73 and 96 of the Customs Act, the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act, and the current provisions of the Procedures for the Disposal of Goods and Means of Transport by Customs. For each auction, the latest notice issued by the relevant customs office governs the date, inspection hours, bid deposits, and lots. Vehicle type approval and license plate requirements are governed by Ministry of Transportation and Communications regulations. This article is for general reference only and does not constitute advice on any individual bid or customs clearance matter.
Instead of Hunting for Someone Else's Goods at Auction, Make Sure Your Own Goods Enter Taiwan Smoothly At its Shenzhen warehouse, HowBridge checks product descriptions and country-of-origin labels, flags goods that require inspection in advance, and reminds you to confirm EZ WAY after your shipment reaches Taiwan. Consolidate parcels to save on shipping, declare them accurately to avoid detention, and keep your package off the next auction list. Register for Free and Get Your Shenzhen Forwarding Warehouse Address