Mainland food safety authorities have seized more than 100 tonnes of melamine-tainted milk powder in several northern provinces in the past two months, raising concerns about how much contaminated powder that should have been destroyed in 2008 has leaked onto the market.
The government said all the tainted milk powder seized had been hidden by 'greedy and reckless lawbreakers'.
In the latest crackdown, 103 tonnes of contaminated milk powder, of four dairy brands, were found in the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, and Tianjin municipality. A total of 41 suspects were arrested, Xinhua said.
An official said some local governments had been slack in destroying tainted milk powder as ordered by Beijing two years ago.
Local authorities were investigating the cases and officials involved would be punished for dereliction of duty, he said.
The latest cases come after two earlier discoveries of tainted milk powder hidden by dairy managers since 2008.
In July, the government said it had seized more than 100 tonnes of tainted milk powder from Dongyuan Dairy Factory in Minhe county, Qinghai. The government said on Friday that six suspects had been formally arrested in the Dongyuan case.