December 6, 2007

China cracks down on airline passengers smuggling beef from Japan

As beef prices in China soar, airline passengers arriving from Japan are lugging in more than the usual keepsakes, with some individuals reportedly having tried to sneak 30 kg of beef past Chinese customs.

Chinese customs authorities have confiscated more than 3 tonnes of beef found in the luggage of passengers arriving in Shanghai from Japan in recent months, the government said on Wednesday Thursday, 06 December 2007)

China has banned beef imports from Japan since a mad-cow disease outbreak in 2001.

Japanese beef are known to be pricey as it is known for its tenderness and leanness.

More than 33 cases of passengers smuggling more than 30 kg each of Japanese beef were discovered in the last five months, according to  the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.