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Officials on border with Myanmar prevent entry of local delicacy, live dung beetle larvae
Living insects arrived with traces of fresh cattle poo attached, officers say
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 03 April, 2016, 7:01pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 03 April, 2016, 8:04pm
Nectar Gan
[email protected]
Authorities in Yunnan province in southwest China intercepted a total of 2,160 live dung beetle larvae intended for local consumption at a crossing on the border with Myanmar last week, a local newspaper reports.
The larvae, packed in six paper boxes designed for transporting eggs on the back of three unlicensed motorbikes, were stopped by inspectors at the Zhangfeng border crossing, the Chuncheng Evening News reported. Some of the insects had advanced to their pupal stage, it added.
The smuggler who owned the insects said he had obtained them in Bhamo, in Myanmar, and intended to sell them to villagers in Zhangfeng, where eating larvae is a local custom.
Some insects still had cattle dung attached to them, which might have been carrying the virus for hand, foot and mouth disease, which is prevalent in Myanmar, the local inspection and quarantine authorities said.
The insects have been sent back to the other side of the border, the report said. It
did not mention if the people involved would be penalised.
