China arrests more than 110 people suspected of selling contaminated pork

[Fascination]

China arrests more than 110 people suspected of selling contaminated pork

PUBLISHED : Monday, 12 January, 2015, 10:18am
UPDATED : Monday, 12 January, 2015, 12:26pm

Reuters in Shanghai

The suspects allegedly sold meat from diseased Chinese pigs to markets in 11 provinces, including Henan and Guangxi. Photo: Felix Wong

China has arrested more than 110 people who are suspected of selling pork from pigs that died from disease and confiscated more than 1,000 tonnes of contaminated pork in its latest crackdown on food safety violations.

The Ministry of Public Security said yesterday the people were part of a network made up of 11 groups that, since 2008, had been buying pigs that had died of illnesses from livestock farms at low prices.

The meat was allegedly sold to markets in 11 provinces, including Henan and Guangxi, or was processed into bacon or cooking oil for sale.

The accused also bribed food supervisory authorities to obtain quarantine certificates, the ministry said.

At least 75 of the suspects have been prosecuted.

The ministry, which has been investigating the network since the end of 2013, said several food quarantine staff had also been sent to prosecutors.

Food safety remains a major concern in China after a series of high-profile scandals that has involved tainted milk powder as well as donkey meat.

The scandals have embroiled foreign corporations such as Wal-Mart Stores and McDonald’s.

In 2013, more than 10,000 dead pigs were found floating in Shanghai’s Huangpu river after the regional government cracked down on criminal gangs that had been selling abandoned carcasses as meat on the black market, fuelling overcrowding on farms.

China’s top food watchdog said last Wednesday food and drug safety was “grim” and pledged stronger oversight.