Chinese customs seize 4,600 tonnes of smuggled frozen food

GUANGZHOU -- Customs police in southern China's Guangdong province seized 4,592 tonnes of smuggled frozen food on Thursday night and Friday morning, local customs authorities said.

The police said the raid at dawn concluded a trans-regional campaign carried out in Guangdong and Guangxi involving over 450 policemen. Authorities arrested 36 suspects for smuggling over 10,000 tonnes of food, with the value of the goods totaling 100 million yuan ($14.1 million).

The food seized on Thursday and Friday included frozen beef, chicken feet, and pork tripe.

Customs said the smuggled food was not quarantined for inspection and would pose health threats to customers if it entered the market.

Further investigation is underway.