Smuggled German dental materials are intercepted.（Photo/legaldaily.com.cn）
(ECNS) -- Customs officials in 10 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen jointly cracked down a major case of smuggled German dental materials worth as much as 160 million yuan ($24 million), Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Tuesday, citing Shenzhen customs.
The VITA-branded goods were smuggled into the Chinese mainland from Hong Kong via Shenzhen and were transported to other parts of the country through logistics networks. The German brand's goods are widely used in cosmetic dentistry across China, but smuggled materials and apparatuses may pose great health risks as they have no quality or hygiene certification, the paper warned.
The investigation began when Shenzhen customs received a tip-off that a dental apparatus company in the city was smuggling materials through a Hong Kong firm.
It uncovered a systemic risk in the industry as the smuggling network was found to reach many places across the nation.
Under coordination of the General Administration of Customs, Shenzhen customs joined counterparts in nine other locations to probe smuggling activities in the dental materials industry.
On April 26, they jointly raided companies, warehouses and stores, and seized questionable materials including dental porcelain, pigment and glue.
