Chinese authorities have uncovered a massive smuggling operation out of Vietnam that has smuggled USD 98 million worth of salmon across the border to the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujiani, writes Undercurrent News.
Chinese customs officers reportedly said a sting operation on March 27 rounded up the smuggling ring which used air-freighted salmon that was frozen when it crossed the border.
In February, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority investigated illegal Norwegian exports of virus-hit salmon to China. At the time, Chinese authorities warned they would in March 2018 begin an exacting regime of customs inspections.
Meanwhile, some of the boxes the smuggled salmon were in reportedly carried the Marine Harvest logo and “the royal crest” of Scottish salmon.
“Marine Harvest has not been involved in the smuggling of salmon to China,” a company spokesperson told Undercurrent, adding that shipping through Vietnam had been suspended in 2012 after some illegal exports had been discovered.
