Fat Beef slices
In 2008, Guangzhou Anti-Smuggling Bureau seized a total of 286 tons of smuggled beef ribs.(Ycwb.com)
A large amount of frozen beef brought into China illegally has been found at the Frozen Meat Market in Panyu, according to a local media report. A undercover reporter recently discovered batches of meat labelled "IBP" or "US" and therefore originating from the United States, a country which has seen its beef exports banned from Chinese mainland since an outbreak of Mad Cow disease in 2003.
Even more troubling is the fact that merchants are incapable of explaining which American state the beef comes from and cannot rule out the possibility it comes from areas directly hit by the epidemic.
The products in question are cut into slices and sold "Fat Beef" which is usually seen on tables in most hotpot restaurants. These slices of beef are later repackage with a Chinese label and sold as a domestic produce.
This crime is motivated by financial interest as smuggled beef is much cheaper than Chinese beef. The reporter learned that nearly every store in the market was selling these US imports. Being one of the largest frozen meats markets in south China, it is likely that a great number of restaurants and supermarkets have been purchasing and reselling it.
The Guangzhou Anti-Smuggling Bureau claims it is working hard to stop such practices. In 2008, the bureau seized a total of 286 tons of smuggled beef ribs. However, there are many obstacles preventing an effective crackdown on smugglers.
(By Robert Wang, David Keyton)
