Chinese customs seized over 1.04 million tonnes of illegal trash imports Wednesday in the latest round of crackdown on smuggled foreign waste.
The smuggled trash included waste mineral residue and oily water, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said in a statement.
Customs officers detained 80 suspects and broke up 38 smuggling rings during the raid in nine provincial regions.
China imported nearly 3.23 million tonnes of solid waste in the first five months of the year, down 45.2 percent from the same period of last year, according to the statement.
The country began importing solid waste as a source of raw materials in the 1980s and for years has been the world's largest importer, despite its weak capacity in garbage disposal. Some companies have profited by illegally bringing foreign waste into the country, posing a threat to the environment and public health.
GAC said it will strengthen international law enforcement cooperation, step up efforts to crack down on smuggling to keep the skies blue, the waters clear and the land pollution-free.
