简体中文
Customs inspectors in Qingdao have arrested a group of people for smuggling, saying they brought potentially radiation-tainted seafood from Fukushima, Japan into China, state television reported on Monday.
As much as 5,000 tonnes of expensive seafood like king crab and scallops, worth a total of 230 million yuan (HK$269 million), had been illegally imported by a company based in Shandong province and sold across the country over the past two years, the CCTV report said.
According to the People's Daily Online, a survey administered early this year showed that customs inspectors found that some upscale seafood was being sold for cheaper prices than declared, which stood out as unusual. Customs officer Song Zhening explained that a large quantity of scallops, king crabs and fish was imported by vans licensed in Southwest China's Guangxi.
"The seafood originated in Japan, Russia and the U.S., so why did it come in vans from Guangxi?" Song mused. "It was strange."
As the investigation got underway, a seafood import and export company in Shandong became a primary suspect. Manipulated behind the scenes by a man surnamed Wang, the corporation had branch companies in Shandong, Fujian, Liaoning and Guangxi provinces. There was also a branch in the U.S.
Inspector Li Fudong figured that, in order to avoid sanctions, Wang stayed in the U.S. year round. All of the business's contacts were handled by the U.S. branch. After receiving payments, domestic companies transferred the money abroad via underground money exchangers.
On June 24, Wang was captured by police in Penglai Airport. The company allegedly involved in the smuggling ring, with branches in Shandong, Fujian, Guangxi and Liaoning provinces as well as in the US, procured cheap seafood from Japan, Russia and the US, the report said.
Additionally, inspectors found that the seafood came into China via a detour in Vietnam, as the smugglers were trying to avoid duty and quarantines. Some of the seafood also came from Fukushima, Japan.
After the 2011 earthquake, Fukushima was polluted by nuclear radiation. Almost all countries therefore forbade the importation of seafood from Fukushima. Even local residents don't eat it. Thus, the price of upscale seafood from Fukushima dropped precipitously.
The company allegedly stored the goods in Hokkaido, Japan, changed the packaging on them, shipped them to Vietnam and finally transported them to China by road through Guangxi province.
Fourteen people were arrested, Xinhua reported. A customs official said the suspects had posed a risk to public health.
Chinese authorities have prohibited the import of food and agricultural products from Fukushima and 11 other regions of Japan affected by nuclear contamination since the incident.
“They would detour as far as this in order to avoid inspection,” said Li Fudong, the head of the local anti-smuggling bureau.
(APD)
