Chinese customs detains 15 suspected of smuggling baby milk formula

Suspects part of crime syndicates that have illegally imported US$152 million worth of baby milk products over the past two years, state media says

178 customs officers took part in coordinated raids across the country last month

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A woman shops for baby milk formula at a store in Shanghai. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 5:04pm, 10 Apr 2021Updated: 11:25am, 12 Apr 2021

Fifteen people were detained last month in coordinated raids across China on criminal gangs accused of smuggling 1 billion yuan (US$152.4 million) worth of baby milk formula into the country over the past two years, according to state media reports.

The suspects were apprehended when 178 customs officers raided dozens of locations in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shaoxing, Wuhan, Changsha and Shenzhen, Xinhua said on Friday.

The suspects were members of syndicates that used foreign courier firms to illegally import the milk formula from overseas, the report said, adding that by claiming the goods were for personal use they were able to evade customs duties and sell them online at discounts of up to 40 per cent.

In one of the raids, 170,000 cans of baby milk formula from New Zealand were found in a single warehouse, the report said, adding that the suspects would be held pending further investigations.

State television said the gangs had smuggled US$152.4 million worth of baby milk formula into China since June 2019. Photo: CCTV

State broadcaster CCTV said that between June 2019 and last month, the gangs had smuggled about 1 billion yuan worth of baby milk formula into China from New Zealand.