China seizes record amount of smuggled grain in 2016

Chinese customs seized a record amount of grain in 2016, thanks to a nationwide campaign against smuggling, official data showed Sunday.

Customs authorities around the country found 366,000 tonnes of smuggled grain products last year, about four times the amount in 2015, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said.

Authorities cracked 2,633 criminal cases involving a total value of 52.93 billion yuan (7.68 billion U.S. dollars) in a special campaign against smuggling of major products, including rice, the GAC said.

GAC head Yu Guangzhou said this year's campaign will focus on the smuggling of many products, such as grain, frozen food, refined oil, drugs, guns and endangered species, with special efforts made to eradicate professional smuggling gangs. Endi