Sixteen people suspected of smuggling more than 7,300 tonnes of plastic waste into China have been caught by customs officers from Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province.
Qingdao customs found five rings importing plastic waste from European countries to China in late February. They did not arrest the alleged smugglers immediately, but observed them to obtain more information.
Last week, customs police launched an operation in the provinces of Shandong and Hebei and captured 16 people.
China requires licenses for imports of plastic waste. Plastic waste processors that are not equipped with environmental protection facilities pose a risk to the environment and people's health.
However, driven by high profit margins, some dealers smuggle or work with overseas organizations to bring foreign garbage into China illegally.
Nanjing customs from east China's Jiangsu Province said Monday that they have seized more than 550 tonnes of plastic waste in the latest crackdown.
