Chinese police bust crime ring that passed on rat meat as mutton

Police in China have bust a crime ring that passed off over $1 million in rat and small mammal meat as mutton, according to authorities. The action came in a food safety crackdown that coincided with a bird flu outbreak and other environmental pressures.

A total of 904 suspects had been arrested since the end of January for sale and production of fake or tainted meat products, according to a statement by China's ministry of public security posted on its web site.

The crackdown, led to the arrest of a suspect surnamed Wei who had used additives to spice up and sell rat, fox and mink meat at markets in Shanghai and Jiangsu province.

A total of 63 arrests were made in connection with the crime ring in a case valued at over 10 million yuan in sales since 2009.

According to the ministry's statement, which cited ''responsible officials'', despite persistent efforts by police food crimes were still prominent and new situations were emerging with new characteristics.

Police confiscated over 20,000 tonnes of fake or inferior meat products following action against illegal food plants during the nationwide operation, the ministry said.

Food safety and environmental pollution remain chronic problems in China with public anxiety over cases of fake or toxic food spreading quickly.

Meanwhile, state news agency Xinhua said police confiscated around 20,000 tonnes of illegal products.

The news agency said in 382 cases officials made 904 arrests for passing off counterfeit meat, meat injected with water or diseased flesh to consumers.

According to the agency, other offenders allegedly added chemicals illegally to their products.

Two "meat processing and selling dens" in southwest China allegedly used hydrogen peroxide to process chicken claws, the news agency added.

The raids come as the first part of a food safety enforcement campaign from the ministry of public security, according to Xinhua.

According to a ministry official who spoke to the news agency, it expected to find deep-rooted safety problems.