Chinese foodstuff mistaken for drugs at Russian airport

A man makes Chinese tofu, also known as bean curd that is created by coagulating soy milk, in Qinhuangdao, North China's Hebei province, in this undated photo. [Photo/IC]

Russia has started to release Chinese passengers who were detained at an airport in Moscow for bringing food materials that were mistaken for drugs, China Radio International reported.

Dozens of Chinese travelers were held at the Sheremetyevo International Airport on Friday after Russian Customs officials found goods in their bags they thought were drugs.

The suspicious substance turned out a kind of food material used to make Chinese tofu, also known as bean curd that is created by coagulating soy milk, according to the Chinese Embassy to Russia.

The passengers are employees of a company in Northwest China's Hei Longjiang province.

Earlier reports from Russian media claimed that 34 Chinese citizens were detained at the Russian airport when they arrived on a flight from Beijing with 230 kilograms of methamphetamine found in their luggage.

Further tests and analysis of the substance’s chemical composition are underway.